As phishing emails circulated across the insights industry this week, the Insights Association reminds everyone to stay vigilant with every communication they receive and avoid falling prey to scams.
Phishing is a crime in which someone is deceived into sharing sensitive information or installing malware. In this case, it was in the form of an email from someone the recipients know inviting recipients to click a SharePoint link to download a request for proposal, which triggers the same phishing email to be sent out under the recipient’s name to their whole contact file, and the cycle continues.
See a sample below (with name/email/company blocked out):
The FTC has a quick guide to how phishing works, recognizing the scams, how to protect your business from them and how to respond if someone in your organization falls for one. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) also has a lot of guidance on basic cybersecurity in its Shields Up campaign.
IA also recommends reviewing some cybersecurity basics for insights providers, reviewing other compliance information on consumer privacy and data security from IA, and consider some professional and cyber liability insurance and adopting ISO 27001 and 27701 (the Information Security Standard).
Further questions or concerns? Please get in touch.
This information is not intended and should not be construed as or substituted for legal advice. It is provided for informational purposes only. It is advisable to consult with private counsel on the precise scope and interpretation of any laws/regulation/legislation and their impact on your particular business.
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.