How Phishing Actually Works: A Simple Breakdown for Small Teams

2025-03-16

Phishing is still the #1 cause of small business data breaches — and it’s not just about bad grammar or spam filters. Here’s how phishing really works, and how your team can stop falling for it.

🎣 What Is Phishing?

Phishing is when attackers impersonate a trusted source (like your bank, IT partner, or CEO) to trick you into:

  • Clicking a malicious link
  • Downloading malware
  • Entering your login credentials on a fake page

It’s called “phishing” because attackers throw out bait and hope someone bites.

📬 Real SMB Examples

  • An email pretending to be your cloud storage provider says: “You’re out of space. Click here to upgrade.”
  • A fake invoice appears to come from a known vendor: “Please remit payment to our new bank details.”
  • A message from “IT” says: “Your password will expire in 1 hour. Log in to reset.”

These are common — and they often work.

🚩 Red Flags to Look For

  • Unusual sender address or display name
  • Urgency (“You must act within 24 hours!”)
  • Suspicious links (hover before you click)
  • Unusual attachments (ZIP files, .exe, etc.)
  • Requests involving money, gift cards, or credentials

✅ What to Do Instead

  • Don’t click links or download files unless you’re sure
  • Verify strange requests via a trusted method (like a known phone number)
  • Use the “Report Phishing” button in Outlook or Gmail if available

“If it feels off — it probably is. Always double-check.”

🧠 Teach Your Team

Phishing is a human problem — not just an IT one. Train staff to spot these attacks and slow down before reacting.

SMBCyberHub’s phishing awareness kit includes sample emails, a quiz, and a reporting checklist to help.

🕒 Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
🔐 Aligned With: GDPR Article 39.1(b), ISO27001 Clause 7.2.2