Webinar: Districts can Fend off Sophisticated Phishing Attacks

Webinar: Districts can Fend off Sophisticated Phishing Attacks

November 7, 2023

Topic: Phishing

Presenter: Michael Webb, Carter Dunbar

Description: In this webinar hosted by K12 SIX, cybersecurity experts Carter Dunbar and Michael Webb discuss the rising threat of phishing attacks in the education sector. They explore the strategies used by attackers, preventative measures schools can take, and innovative solutions to enhance security. Phishing poses significant threats to K12 districts, with spear phishing being particularly dangerous due to its targeted and sophisticated nature. It's essential to implement a multi-pronged approach to cybersecurity, including user training, software updating and patching, and using email and content filters, but these measures may not always be enough. AI-powered phishing detection software is designed to proactively shield systems from attacks before they cause damage.

Defending Against Sophisticated Phishing Attacks: Insights from the K12 SIX Webinar

Phishing attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated, with spear phishing targeting specific individuals requiring attackers to use open source intelligence gathering techniques to tailor their attacks. Spear phishing typically involves creating a sense of urgency or crisis and is usually aimed at stealing sensitive data or gaining unauthorized access.

To protect against these attacks:

• Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is a must, as it provides an additional layer of security that can slow attackers down
• Training users is also important, as they are usually the weakest link
• Regularly updating and patching software
• Using advanced threat protection

If an attack is successful, it is important to have additional controls in place to minimize damage, such as network segmentation, endpoint protection, and data encryption. Identity Automation has partnered with a company called PIXM to bring the PhishID solution, which uses artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to protect against all attack vectors, from email to social media. This solution is a great tool to help protect against phishing attacks.

PhishID: Protecting Educational Organizations from Phishing Threats with AI and Computer Vision Technology

PhishID is an advanced solution for detecting and blocking phishing threats. It uses artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to detect phishing attempts at the point of click and can often detect threats four or five days before traditional phishing solutions. For example, an email that appears to be from Canvas LMS but contains a fake logo, for instance, will be blocked by PhishID. The solution is deployed into the browser and can detect phishing attacks no matter the source, be it email, SMS, Teams, Slack, or other social platforms.

PhishID requires no user training and is easy to deploy in the organization. PhishID is a great safety net for human error and provides an extra layer of protection. It is also compatible with Chromebooks, Windows, iPads, and macOS and can be deployed using Google Workspaces, SCCM, GPO, Intune, or Jamf Pro.

Once deployed, it detects potential phishing threats in real-time and stops the user from interacting with it. PhishID also provides detailed reports and analytics, allowing customers to track the effectiveness of the phishing protection measures they have implemented.

Related:

• PhishID
• PhishID Communication Template
• Deploying PhishID with Google Workspaces
• Deploying PhishID with Microsoft Intune
• Deploying PhishID with Jamf Pro
• Deploying PhishID with Jamf Pro for iOS Devices
• Deploying PhishID with GPO
• Adding a domain to the Allowed Domains for PhishID
• Manually Blocking a URL in the Admin Console