Keeping your business safe: a guide to combating malvertising, phishing and employee risks
Growing cyber security attacks and how to protect your business against them
“In 2024, cyber attacks against UK businesses reached a record high, with a 4% increase from the previous year.”
As the digital landscape becomes increasingly perilous, UK businesses are facing an unprecedented wave of cyber threats. With hackers employing ever more sophisticated techniques, the risk posed by scams, phishing attacks and internal vulnerabilities continues to escalate at an alarming rate.
Join us as we look at some of the most common threats in the UK in 2025 and how you can protect your business against them.
Malvertising: A silent threat
Malvertising, or malicious advertising, is becoming an ever-more dangerous risk. It involves scammers using online ads to deceive users into downloading harmful software, disclosing private information, or making fraudulent payments. What’s particularly concerning is that you don’t even have to click on the ad to fall victim. Simply viewing a malicious ad in an outdated browser can expose your device to a cyberattack.
The three primary types of malvertising include:
1. Fake installer ads
Fake installer ads are ads that lead you to counterfeit versions of trusted websites, where you download software that appears legitimate but is actually harmful malware.
2. Scam ads
Scam ads typically claim your device is compromised and encourage you to contact supposed “tech support.” Once you do, fraudsters convince you to install software that grants them control over your device, often charging you a hefty fee for a fake service.
3. Drive-by download ads
Drive-by downloads ads automatically install malicious files or extensions without requiring any interaction from the user, often exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated browsers.
To protect your business, ensure your employees are aware of these tactics. Encourage them to regularly update their browsers, avoid clicking on unfamiliar links and question any ad that seems too urgent or too good to be true. A proactive approach can prevent costly consequences.
Key takaways:
- Ensure your employees are familiar with these evolving malware techniques – we always recommend regular cyber security training
- Double check links before you click on them to check it’s a legitimate domain
- Make sure you’re running the latest version of your browser
Phishing: The growing risk
Phishing attacks are on the rise and unfortunately, employees are increasingly falling for them. Last year, the number of employees clicking on phishing links tripled, posing a serious security risk for many businesses.
What happens in a phishing attack?
In a phishing attack, scammers impersonate trusted organisations to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials or payment details.
Although email phishing remains a primary tactic, criminals are diversifying their methods. Fake links can now be found not only in emails but also in search engines, social media, online ads and website comments. As scammers get more creative, the attacks are harder to spot.
Why are more employees falling for these scams?
Employees are bombarded with so many phishing attempts daily that it becomes difficult to remain vigilant and fatigue often sets in. Additionally, phishing emails are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often looking nearly identical to legitimate communications from trusted brands like Microsoft 365.
How to combat phishing scams
To combat phishing, businesses must focus on educating their employees. Ensure your team can identify phishing attempts not just in emails but across all platforms. Regular training can help sharpen their awareness, while additional layers of security, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), can provide extra protection. By arming your employees with the right knowledge and tools, you’ll significantly reduce the risk becoming victims of a phishing attack.
Key takaways:
- Educate your team to spot phishing attempts on all platforms with regular training sessions
- Reduce fatigue by simplifying identification of legitimate communications from trusted brands
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security
Employee habits: your security weakness?
Even with strong technical defences in place, your employees could still be the weak link in your security chain. Many workers unknowingly expose your business to cyber threats through poor cyber security habits. This is especially true as more people work remotely or use personal devices for work.
Recent research shows that four out of five employees use their personal phones, tablets, or laptops to access work-related systems, but these devices often lack the same security measures as company-issued equipment. Employees commonly also use weak passwords or connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks – cybercriminals know this!
To make matters worse, a significant number of employees admit to downloading sensitive business data onto personal devices, further increasing the risk of data breaches. According to Forbes, more than 65% of employees say they only sometimes or never follow company cyber security policies, which can lead to risky behaviours like forwarding work emails to personal accounts or using personal devices as hotspots.
What can you do as a business to tackle employee security risks?
We say this a lot, but education really is key. Help your employees understand the critical importance of cyber security and how even small lapses in judgment can have serious consequences. Encourage them to use strong, unique passwords for each account, avoid using personal devices for work, and refrain from forwarding work emails to non-secure personal accounts.
Create clear and simple security guidelines and make sure your team is regularly trained on best practices. Additionally, consider implementing technical solutions such as password managers and network security tools to further minimise risk.
Key takeaways:
- Educate employees on the importance of cyber security and potential risks with regular training sessions
- Encourage strong, unique passwords and discourage the use of personal devices for work tasks
- Implement clear security guidelines and technical solutions like password managers to minimise risks.
Next steps: keeping your business secure
Whilst no security measure can guarantee 100% protection, there are steps you can take to significantly reduce the risk to your business:
- Educate your employees: Provide regular training to help your team identify phishing attempts and malvertising. Help them understand the importance of secure practices such as using strong passwords, updating software and avoiding risky links
- Regular updates: Ensure your employees’ software and browsers are up to date. This is a simple but effective way to protect against vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit
- Implement multi-factor authentication: MFA provides an additional layer of security by requiring extra verification before accessing critical systems, reducing the risk of a successful cyberattack
- Clear and consistent policies: Develop straightforward security rules that your team can follow, such as using password managers, only using company-approved devices for work and avoiding personal accounts for work-related communication
- Advanced security tools: Invest in anti-malvertising software, phishing detection tools and other cyber security solutions to bolster your defences
Ultimately, your employees can be your greatest asset or your most significant vulnerability when it comes to cyber security. With the right training and tools, they can become your first line of defence against malicious attacks.
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