Internal Communications ( 5/18/2016 4:19 PM )
Phishing and social engineering attacks: IT bolsters security measures
As part of our series on IT security issues, we’ve published information on the dangers of phishing and social engineering attacks – which are on the rise.
Both methods are increasingly being used by hackers to gain access to sensitive data so it’s essential that everyone at GfK is aware of what they are and what to do to ensure our network is as safe as possible.
Click on the links below to read the latest updates:
- Don’t fall victim to social engineering
- How to spot and avoid email phishing attacks
The next steps
As these attacks are becoming more sophisticated, it’s critical that we have the right IT measures in place to protect ourselves.
We are experiencing an influx in the number of emails from external senders pretending to be senior GfK managers asking for company information (e.g. financial account data, travel bookings and details for transferring money) and thanks to the vigilance of GfK colleagues, no known damage has occurred so far.
While we cannot fully protect ourselves, we can mitigate the risk. To do this, Group IT has developed an email filter policy which can automatically block emails from senders outside of, and unknown to, the GfK mail server.
Due to several external email systems which are under GfK control and send out communications using a “@gfk.com” domain (e.g. our Global Employee Survey), this is a complex process. As a result, it may end up with many legitimate accounts being blocked.
What you need to know
Before implementing the process of automatic blocking of emails, Group IT, along with our respective business areas, is compiling a whitelist to allow approved systems to pass through the filter.
Once live, the process will block emails from unidentified senders. The governance necessary to control the whitelisting is currently being defined and will be communicated in follow-up communications.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your local IT department or https://askit.gfk.com/gsm/ess.do.