If you think phishing scams only fool “careless” employees, think again.
Some of the most successful cyberattacks in recent years started with highly educated, experienced professionals clicking the wrong link at the wrong time.
For businesses in Columbus and Central Ohio, phishing remains one of the biggest cybersecurity risks—because it doesn’t target technology first.
It targets people.
Let’s look at why phishing still works… even on smart, cautious teams.
Phishing is a cyberattack where criminals impersonate a trusted person, company, or system to trick someone into:
Most phishing attacks arrive through email, but they also appear in:
And they’re getting harder to spot.
Modern phishing emails don’t look “suspicious.”
They often include:
Many are copied directly from real messages that attackers previously intercepted.
To the recipient, they look completely normal.
Phishing works because it mimics people you trust.
Common impersonations include:
Examples:
“Can you review this quickly?”
“Urgent payroll update”
“Your account has been locked”
“Please approve this invoice”
When authority is involved, people respond faster—and think less critically.
Phishing messages are often sent when people are:
Attackers know this.
Monday mornings.
Friday afternoons.
End of month.
Tax season.
During major projects.
They strike when attention is lowest.
Many phishing emails are designed to trigger emotional reactions.
They use language like:
Fear causes people to act first and verify later.
That’s exactly what attackers want.
Phishing no longer relies only on fake websites.
Today’s attacks often use:
These platforms are trusted—so employees assume links are safe.
They aren’t always.
Ironically, experience can increase risk.
Why?
Because people think:
“I’d recognize a scam.”
“That wouldn’t fool me.”
“I know what phishing looks like.”
Attackers adapt faster than awareness does.
Confidence can lower defenses.
Many employees think:
“I didn’t download anything.”
“I didn’t enter my password.”
But modern phishing doesn’t always require that.
Sometimes, one click can:
No obvious warning.
No pop-up.
No alert.
Just silent compromise.
A successful phishing attack can lead to:
Often, the breach isn’t discovered for weeks.
By then, the damage is done.
Many businesses rely only on:
These are important—but not sufficient.
No system catches 100% of phishing attempts.
That’s why layered protection matters.
Effective phishing defense includes multiple layers:
Filtering that analyzes links, attachments, and sender behavior.
Even if credentials are stolen, attackers can’t log in.
Employees learn how to spot modern phishing tactics. Learn about our phish testing and training program and try it for a month, free.
Restricts risky logins automatically.
Quick detection limits damage.
Ensures protections stay current.
Learn more about our approach:
➡️ /cybersecurity-services-network-assessments
Ask yourself:
If you’re unsure, you’re not alone.
That’s where an Cyber Risk Assessment helps.
➡️ Request one: /risk-assessment
Because attacks exploit trust, timing, and emotion—rather than technical ignorance. Even experienced users can be fooled under pressure.
No. Antivirus helps with malware, but phishing often targets credentials and behavior, not files.
Microsoft provides strong tools, but they must be properly configured and managed to be effective.
At least annually, with periodic refreshers and simulated tests. Our training program consists of weekly mini trainings to keep security top of mind. And then an annual more in depth training to really educate our clients.
Phishing works because it doesn’t attack computers first.
It attacks people.
And people are busy, human, and imperfect.
That’s normal.
The solution isn’t blame—it’s better systems, smarter training, and proactive security.
If you want to reduce phishing risk for your business, start with visibility.