Let’s be honest – we’ve all received those dodgy-looking emails. The ones pretending to be your bank, your manager, or a delivery service. But what if one of your team clicks on it?
Phishing emails are getting smarter, more believable, and harder to spot. So what actually happens when someone in your company clicks one?
Let’s walk you through it.
Here’s your checklist for building a culture of compliance that works with your team, not against them.
Step 1: The Click
It usually starts innocently. Someone’s in a rush – replying to emails between meetings or checking their inbox on their phone. Then they get a message that looks official. Maybe it claims to be from a colleague, a service provider, or even a government department. It asks them to click a link, download a file, or confirm some details. And without thinking twice… they do.
Step 2: Access Gained
If the phishing email was designed to steal login credentials, the attacker now has a way in. They might access your business email, cloud accounts, or even internal systems.
If it contained malware, it could start running in the background – silently. Some malware captures keystrokes. Others create hidden “back doors” that let hackers in later. Some go straight for sensitive files.
You probably won’t even know it’s happened.
This is the terrifying part – attackers often sit quietly for days or weeks. They observe. They learn how your business communicates, who holds authority, and where the juicy data lives.
Step 3: Escalation
Once they’re in, attackers try to gain more access. Maybe they move laterally across systems, looking for higher-level accounts. Perhaps they impersonate a director and ask finance to send a payment.
We’ve heard about cases where an attacker waited three weeks before triggering ransomware – encrypting every file and demanding a ransom in cryptocurrency.
It’s not just big companies. In fact, small and medium businesses are targeted more often because they tend to have fewer layers of defence.
Step 4: Detection (Hopefully)
If you’re working with Neuways, this is where we kick into gear.
Our monitoring tools, alert systems, and security checks mean we’re watching for suspicious behaviour around the clock. If something unusual happens – like a login from Russia at 2 a.m., or a large data transfer – we spot it.
But if you’re not actively monitoring, the first sign could be when files disappear. Or customers say they’ve received a strange email from your domain.
By then, damage is already being done.
Step 5: Response
A good cyber security plan isn’t just about prevention – it’s about knowing exactly what to do after an incident.
At Neuways, we help clients:
- Isolate affected systems immediately
- Reset passwords across key accounts
- Track the source and timeline of the breach
- Communicate with staff and stakeholders
- Report to authorities or insurers, if needed
Having a trained, experienced team behind you makes all the difference. One wrong move, and an attacker can escalate things even further.
How can you protect your business?
Phishing attacks can’t always be prevented – but you can make sure your business is prepared to stop them before they cause serious harm. The first step is educating your team. Most attacks begin with a simple mistake, so giving staff regular training on how to spot suspicious emails is crucial.
Technology also plays a big part. Using multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection if someone’s password is compromised. Around-the-clock monitoring can help detect unusual activity early, especially if an attacker is quietly trying to move through your systems unnoticed.
Backups matter too – but they need to be secure, tested, and readily available. In the event of ransomware or data loss, a reliable backup could be the difference between recovery and disaster.
Lastly, regular cyber health checks can give you a clear picture of your risk level and help prioritise improvements, without the jargon.
Taking these steps won’t just reduce your risk – they’ll also give you peace of mind that you’re not leaving it to chance.
Let’s make sure you’re covered
If you’re not sure how your business would handle a phishing incident, you’re not alone – and you’re not unprotected.
At Neuways, we help businesses like yours put the right systems, training, and monitoring in place to keep the bad guys out.