It was Veterinary IT Services first London Vet Show this year, but they arrived with a bang, having duped the press who attended the event into falling for a cyber spoof, causing a redirection to a fake website.
Veterinary IT Services is run by Jack Peploe, who also happens to be a certified ethical hacker he explains why they decided to try and dupe the press, “we take cyber security very seriously, and I’ve made it my mission to educate the veterinary sector on cyber security” having previously described veterinary practices as ‘low hanging fruit’ for hackers, Jack points out that “Unfortunately there’s just no denying it, when it comes to up to date, modern and secure IT infrastructure, the veterinary sector are lagging behind other sectors putting them at particular risk.”
The dupe came in support of the session on the importance of IT basics and cyber security for UK veterinary practices that Jack delivered in the Business Theatre on the opening day of the London Vet Show. “We wanted to make as big an impact as possible and try to shock the veterinary industry into taking cyber security seriously. How better to do that than trick the press into going to a spoof website?”. So how did they do it?
The picture below is an image of the press pack handed out to the press, do you notice anything wrong…?
What if we show you the correct side of the press pack…?
Much like a Phishing email, although they may look legitimate and are very similar, there is a subtle difference between the two. If you look closely the spoof QR code is identical to the correct one except for one small spelling difference in the Veterinary IT Services logo.
Jack explains “hackers usually get into veterinary practices through Phishing emails. These are often emails that look legitimate, possibly from very similar domain names, making them easy to miss. Once a member of staff clicks on the link, downloads a PDF or forwards on the email, the hacker is then free to cause havoc.”
“Staff being aware of how to spot a phishing email can drastically decrease your practice’s chances of falling victim of a cyber-attack. We are hoping that having duped the press at the London Vet Show that we may have educated not only the press but all those attending too.”
This stunt does seem to prove that you don’t have to be an 80 year old tech newbie to fall for a phishing scam these days. With some of the smartest social engineering, even the wariest person can be caught out. So, what are Jacks top tips for spotting a Phishing attack when it lands in your inbox? He recommends that you look at:
- The email address it was sent from
- The language used
- The font and design of the email
- Checking if a link is safe before clicking on it
Phishing scams are getting more sophisticated every day, and they’re really easy to fall for. If you are concerned about the cyber security at your veterinary practice and could do with some honest, expert help and advice, then get in touch with Jack and the team at Veterinary IT Services.
ABOUT VETERINARY IT SERVICES
Veterinary IT Services is the only IT Services company in the UK that works specifically with the veterinary industry to empower vets with the best of technology. From tackling those everyday frustrations in your practice to helping practices set up their IT infrastructure whilst eliminating those inefficiencies and boosting profit.
www.veterinaryit.services
hello@veterinaryitservices.co.uk
7 College Farm, Tetbury Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6PY, United Kingdom
0808 196 2041
