A new single-click button has been launched to report suspect emails directly to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Sky News reports. As cyber crime has soared during the pandemic, the cybersecurity division of GCQH have issued guidelines to IT departments in the UK, so they can add the button to Outlook email apps.
One of the most prevalent types of cyber-crime is known as ‘phishing’, where malicious attackers send out legitimate looking emails, which trick the recipient into clicking on infected links, or to download software that mimics the company IT support department.
The new Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) is part of a crackdown on such scams, which can also target individuals, who may unwittingly give away personal and financial information which is used to commit fraud.
Dr Ian Levy, the NCSC’s technical director, said: “The pandemic has shown the cybercriminals will stop at nothing to attack and defraud citizens and businesses. But our Suspicious Email Reporting Service has also shown that the British public can help us fight back against this scourge.”
He added: “This new reporting button makes it easy for businesses using Microsoft 365 to enable their staff to report dodgy looking emails and further help combat cyber-crime. As more people report more dodgy stuff to us, the safer everyone gets.”
According to The Guardian, there were 700,500 fraudulent online scams taken down over the past year, representing a 15-fold increase since 2019. Cyber criminals have jumped at the chance to exploit the abrupt changes to IT systems that were made by many businesses in a short timeframe, exposing weaknesses and loopholes in security.
As well as phishing emails, there have been a wave of Covid related scams, including fake testing services, fake vaccine appointment apps, fake PPE stores, and even fake vaccinations. The NCSC regularly updates its website with guidance for anyone who is worried about scams and malware attacks.
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