Use the SLAM Framework to Mitigate Phishing Threats

Phishing attacks pose a significant problem for your business, and if you and your employees cannot identify these attacks, they could subvert all of your attempts at network security. To help you make better decisions regarding your security, we’d like to share a framework known as the SLAM model.

The SLAM model helps individuals identify potential phishing threats.

What Does SLAM Stand For?

In short, each letter in SLAM helps you keep track of phishing prevention practices, including the following:

• Sender
• Links
• Attachments
• Message

Let’s break down what each means:

• Sender: Look at who sent the message and make an educated guess on whether the sender is legitimate or not. Be sure to check the email address and cross-check it with other contact information you might have, looking for potential misspellings or suspicious URLs hidden in the sender’s email address.
• Links: Never blindly click on a link before checking where it actually redirects you to. Hackers and cybercriminals often like to mask their malicious URLs by making them look like those you trust. You can hover over the URL to display where it goes without actually clicking on it.
• Attachments: If there are attachments included with the message, be very careful with them. Don’t download them unless you are absolutely sure they are safe, especially if there is no reason for the attachment to be there as indicated by the message.
• Message: Consider what the message itself says. You can look for misspelled words and poor grammar, along with any potential inconsistencies with the language or behavior of the sender, to determine if it’s a phishing attack being leveraged against you.

Use SLAM to Watch for Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks are remarkably dangerous for businesses and individuals alike, so take responsibility for your company’s security today by calling us at (978) 482-2020. We can train your team to identify phishing attacks and help you implement solutions to decrease their presence on your network entirely.