Most people are aware of phishing yet comparably few have heard of smishing. Smishing has emerged as a legitimate threat to businesses and everyday people. Here’s a quick look detailed by our managed IT services team in Dallas on what smishing is really all about.

Smishing Explained

Smishing is a combination of the words “phishing” and “SMS” in reference to phony text messages sent to smartphones. These messages attempt to trick an individual into thinking they were transmitted by a trustworthy institution. The sender of the message in question might appear to be a legitimate financial institution yet is actually a scammer.

Smishing messages request that the recipient share sensitive personal information. Some smishing attempts share harmful links or attachments that contain files or other downloads that contain malware. The digital miscreants behind smishing target computers as well as smartphones.

Those “Urgent” Messages Might Not Be So Urgent

If you receive an email or text message that is described as “urgent”, it is likely anything but urgent. Cybercriminals use such language to convince targets that the information within the message is of the utmost importance and prompt action is necessary. These messages might also be designed to fool targets into thinking their account has been breached or is no longer accessible. Do not click links in such messages as doing so will not remedy the problem; rather, clicking such a link will set the stage for system infiltration.

The Fight Against Smishing

Our managed IT services team in Dallas can help you avoid smishing and continue move forward without digital impediment. Our cybersecurity specialists provide training and ongoing guidance that will help you and your team avoid the smishing trap.

Take time to pause to review messages to gauge their legitimacy. It will also help to refrain from clicking emails, links and attachments sent from parties that appear even slightly illegitimate. If you do not know the party in question or if it even slightly appears as though they are mimicking another legitimate party, do not click the email, link or attachment.

Android users should be aware that they face a heightened smishing risk as it is that much easier for smishing attackers to launch successful attacks on these devices due to their comparably high levels of malware. Protecting your information with secure apps that serve as digital vaults of sorts helps to minimize the potential damage from malware. Apps used to safeguard sensitive information must be equipped with complex passwords and be closed after use. Above all, exercise caution when reviewing messages, links and downloadable files. When in doubt, do not click those items. Choose to be safe rather than sorry.

We at Technagy can help your organization avoid smishing and other digital traps. Reach out to our managed IT services team in Dallas for more information about our digital security solutions.