New test helps IT and security pros identify users who are vulnerable to social media attacks
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced the release of the Social Media Phishing Test (SPT). The free test was created to help IT and security professionals at organizations of all sizes better identify users who are likely to fall for a phishing email that looks like it originated from a credible social media site such as Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Attacks related to social media accounts have increased by 43 percent, with social media phishing attacks growing at an astonishing 75 percent. Users often fall prey to social media-related schemes because they feel they can trust messages coming from their ‘verified’ connections without understanding their personal information has been scraped and they are being directed to a landing page that looks real but is not.
“Social media platforms have become commonplace, yet many users are unaware of the risks associated with using various platforms,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “It’s also more difficult to regulate in an office environment because employees access social media sites from their phones or even their work computers if the organization has a corporate Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram page. Training and testing are crucial to raising the level of awareness when it comes to social media because your users can be your biggest asset for security.”
Since IT and security professionals often don’t have visibility or control of the environment on which social media is used – such as cell phones – it becomes imperative to train users what to look for and how to spot threats. With KnowBe4’s SPT, it’s simple to test users, train them on the ‘red flags’ they should recognize, and quickly review the percentage of clicks or data entered on a spoofed landing page in order to provide more targeted training.
For more information on SPT, which is available immediately, visit: https://www.knowbe4.com/social-media-phishing-test.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest integrated security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 26,000 organizations worldwide. Founded by data and IT security expert Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness of ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to security awareness training. Kevin Mitnick, internationally recognized computer security expert and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design KnowBe4’s training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations worldwide trust KnowBe4 to mobilize their employees as their last line of defense.
Number 96 on the 2018 Inc. 500 list, #34 on 2018 Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 and #2 in Cybersecurity Ventures Cybersecurity 500. KnowBe4 is headquartered in Tampa Bay, Florida with European offices in England, the Netherlands, Germany and offices in Brazil, South Africa and Singapore.
