SAN JOSE, CA - Being able to protect your business is paramount, and ZAG Technical Services is here to help. The solutions provider issued a statement warning agriculture businesses of the latest email phishing schemes as these threats become more prevalent.

"Imagine the domino effect if a cyber attacker gained access to a school system, not only accessing student information but also learning about parents' workplaces and potentially compromising those systems as well," said Allen Santana, Cybersecurity Operations Manager at ZAG Technical Services. "Similarly, the interconnected nature of agribusiness makes it a prime target for scammers."

According to a release from the company, attackers are using compromised email accounts to send fraudulent messages that appear to come from trusted sources. To further enhance their credibility, hackers are now signing up for services like Dropbox with these compromised accounts.

As ZAG noted, this layered approach not only makes the email seem legitimate but also adds an extra layer of credibility through the use of recognized services, complicating the detection of malicious intent. Sales teams have been targeted with fraudulent POs from supposed customers, making the phishing attempts appear legitimate.

How can you identify a phishing email? ZAG suggests the following:

• Verify the Sender: Call a verified phone number of the person who supposedly sent the email to confirm its authenticity. Do not reply to the email, click on any links, or call any numbers noted in the email
• Contact Leadership: Notify your CEO, CFO, or Controller to check for any attempted ACH fraud
• Involve IT: Engage your IT team to trace the origin of the email and assess the threat
• Avoid Forwarding Suspicious Emails: Do not forward the email to others to test links or attachments
• Seek Expert Opinion: If in doubt, ZAG Technical Services is always available to provide a second opinion and assist with any security concerns

ZAG explained that phishing attacks are not random; they are strategic attempts to exploit vulnerabilities for financial gain. The company went on to note that agriculture tends to be an easy industry to exploit because of how many points of connection there are between businesses and vendors. Attackers seek access to networks to obtain sensitive information, initiate fraudulent ACH transactions, and extort ransomware payments through cryptolocking.

These are the key lessons ZAG hopes you take away from this:

• No Company is Too Small: Every business, regardless of size, can be a target
• High Stakes: Attackers aim to infiltrate networks to steal valuable information
• Increased Vigilance: Regularly educate and remind employees about the signs of phishing
• Layered Controls: Implement layers of control, particularly in financial processes like ACH transactions

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