Think that phishing only affects large companies?
Wrong.
Your small or mid-sized business (SMB) is just as - if not even more - likely to be the target of today's cybercriminals, who frequently begin with something as basic as an email’s subject line.
To understand how phishing operates, you don't need to be a cybersecurity expert. All you have to do is be aware of it, safeguard your email marketing, and make sure your team stay alert to the risk.
Let's look a little closer.
Why SMBs are often the target of phishing attacks
You may not realise how exposed you are as an SMB. Small firms typically have lower budgets and protections, which cybercriminals are aware of.
You might be managing emails and data using free tools. You might not have a dedicated IT department. You become an easier target as a result.
Verizon's 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report finds that small and mid-sized businesses are especially vulnerable to ransomware attacks.
They often don’t have the same level of IT or cybersecurity resources as larger companies, which makes them easier targets and frequent victims in certain types of attacks.
One of the most commonly used attack strategies is phishing, since it is highly effective and fairly cheap for hackers to implement.
A single employee clicking on a malicious link can lead to ransomware, data theft, or a complete system breach.
Phishing email red flags
Some phishing emails may seem convincing, but there are always clues - no matter how small - if you take the time to look and inspect carefully.
If you look for common red flags, you will notice the clues:
- The sender’s email address doesn't match the company you expect, or they use a generic @gmail.com address, despite pretending to belong to a company.
- Mass greetings, such as "Dear User".
- Spelling or grammatical errors.
- Unplanned links or attachments.
- Urgency to act.
Train your team to slow down, think carefully and always assess before clicking! When in doubt, teach your staff to contact a co-worker or report the email to your IT representative.
How phishing works: step by step
You may have heard the phrase "phishing" a million times. But how does it actually work?
Here is what a typical phishing attack looks like, from beginning to end:
Step 1: Research and setup
Hackers begin by picking a target, which could be an individual working at your company or the company as a whole.
They gather info that's out there for anyone to see, like names and job titles, to make their emails look more convincing (you’d be surprised how much info is already out there).
Step 2: Create the bait
Then, they put together an email meant to grab your attention and elicit a response. Subject lines might say:
- “Invoice overdue: Immediate action needed”
- “Your email account has been suspended”
- “New HR policy update – please check”
These lines are made to create a sense of fear or urgency. The goal is to get you to click without really thinking.
Step 3: Delivering the hook
Inside the email is a malicious link or attachment. This may look like a Microsoft 365 login page, an important document or some sort of recovery link. The link is not legitimate, but it’s made to look real and convincing enough.
Once the user - the unsuspecting victim - enters their account name and password or files/downloads the attachment, the attacker accomplishes their goal: they’ve gained access or successfully harvested the data.
Step 4: Abuse
The actual harm starts now. The hacker can now gain access to confidential information, such as internal files and customer data, by logging into your company's email accounts.
They may send phishing messages to clients, partners, or other staff members using your email domain.
To prevent you from accessing vital systems until payment is received, they could potentially infect your network with malware or ransomware - an ever-increasing type of cyberthreat.
In more complex situations, the attacker can “travel” laterally between your systems to get further access to employee accounts, payment gateways, and cloud storage.
The repercussions can worsen rapidly - sometimes, before you’ve even become aware that there has been a breach.
How SMBs can keep their emails secure
The good news? You don't (necessarily) need a full-time IT staff or pricey tools to secure your email marketing.
Here are some basic, easy-to-implement strategies to lower your risk of phishing today:
- Use an email marketing platform that supports DMARC, DKIM, and SPF, and actually sets them up correctly to help protect your emails from being marked as spam or spoofed.
- Train your staff to spot suspicious emails and teach them what to do if they do come across one.
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all company emails.
- Safeguard your teams - both remote and on-site - by using a secure internet connection through VPN. Learn more about how to set it up and use it.
These seemingly minor actions already have a significant impact on your business’ vulnerability to hacking.
Final thoughts
Phishing often starts innocently, with just a subject line, but it can quickly cause a lot of trouble for your whole business.
Small and mid-sized businesses are on hackers' radars now. They see you as an easy target, but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself.
You can take some steps to keep your email marketing safe. Use reliable platforms, train your staff, keep an eye out for anything suspicious, and make sure to secure your domain - it really matters.
Staying safe online doesn’t have to be hard, but ignoring the issue? That’s where the real danger lies.
Copyright 2025. Featured post by Mahendra Kumawat.