Cyber Security Month

Include banking info in the retainer. If changes are requested, always call to confirm, and tell your clients to do the same.

Business email compromise and Phishing are the most common causes of financial loss. They are lucrative because they take advantage of the human element, which is a lot easier for cyber criminals to exploit. If you receive new or updated payment instructions, always verify any change in banking or payment instructions—especially if it comes via email. Cybercriminals often impersonate vendors or executives to trick you into sending funds to fraudulent accounts. These requests often stress urgency and are becoming harder to spot and decipher with the introduction of AI.

Before sending a wire:

• Call a verified contact (using a known phone number, not one in the email).
• Double-check email addresses for subtle misspellings.
• Slow down—most wire fraud happens when people feel pressured to act quickly. This is a common tactic of cyber criminals.

Update software regularly to patch security vulnerabilities, back up data daily, and test recovery procedures regularly.

Be sure that MFA has been implemented at all 3 levels: ie. at all user end-points (workstations and laptops in the office), VPN (remote access), and privileged access users).

Whether or not a Company’s network is Cloud-based or otherwise). Cyber insurers do not differentiate.  

How to Spot a Deepfake:

Deepfakes are getting harder to detect, but most still leave subtle clues. If you notice one or more of these red flags, stop and verify before you trust what you see or hear:

1. Lip-sync delay – The voice and lip movements don’t quite match, showing a slight lag or full mismatch.
2. Audio vs. video mismatch – The sound doesn’t align with the visuals, or details seem off in either the audio or video.
3. Strange eye movements – Blinking is too frequent or too rare, the gaze looks frozen, or the eyes shift unnaturally.
4. Visual artifacts – Blurry edges, overly smooth skin, unnatural shadows/reflections, or background distortions.
5. Unnatural voice – Robotic tone, odd pauses, irregular rhythm, strange accent, or exaggerated delivery.
6. Poor quality – Background noise, small glitches, or interruptions in image and sound.
7. Limited facial expressions – The face looks stiff or repetitive, struggling to show natural emotions.
8. Detail inconsistencies – Jewelry, clothing, teeth, or accessories appear and disappear between frames.

The good news is that you can take steps to stay safer:

• Pause and verify: Call back using a trusted number, not the one that contacted you.
• Agree on “safe words” within your family/loved ones/key stakeholders to confirm emergencies.
• Watch for a sense of urgency: Scammers rely on pressure and panic.
• Stay alert to deepfake clues: Look for mismatched audio, unnatural facial movements, or inconsistent details.

Review your key contracts BEFORE a breach happens. You may have contractual reporting obligations in the event of a cyber incident.