We’re all too smart to fall for phishing email messages nowadays, right? When that message purporting to be from your bank, credit card company, or ISP hits the inbox begging for clicks, we all know to just delete it. Isn’t that just common sense?

Of course not. Not only are we still falling for phishing scams, we’re actually doing it in record time. A recent study by Verizon finds that nearly half the people targeted by phishing scams click links and they do so quickly. How quickly? Users who open phishing messages click a link on an average of about a minute and 22 seconds. With all the recent news about data breaches, email security should be first in everyone’s minds.

The speed at which we’re clicking those links is only matched by how quickly cyber criminals are using our information. The Verizon study shows that attackers waste no time putting their ill-gotten data to use. Within minutes of victims clicking links and giving their sensitive information, criminals launch into action, stealing personal and company data. Even though over a third of breaches are contained in just a few hours, criminals act so quickly that even the speediest response by IT staff isn’t fast enough.

How can companies protect against phishing-related data breaches? Syndeo Communications, a leading IT support company in San Diego, suggests shifting the focus of security efforts from technology to people. End users need to be educated so they can spot phishing messages and other forms of hacking that rely on this type of “social engineering.” All the firewalls, antivirus, and spam protection at a company’s disposal can’t protect against a user clicking a bad link or giving out their password. Savvy, educated employees are the key to protecting against phishing.

To learn more about protecting your employees and your business from phishing scams, call Syndeo Communications at (760) 650-3300. We’re a leading San Diego IT consulting company, offering network and email security, data recovery, and 24-hour, onsite, and remote support.