What Should You Do If An Employee Clicks A Phishing Email?

Phishing emails remain one of the biggest cybersecurity threats facing businesses of all sizes. 

Despite advances in email filtering and cybersecurity software, cybercriminals continue to develop increasingly convincing scams that can trick even experienced employees.

The important thing to remember is that clicking a phishing email doesn’t always mean your business has been compromised. However, acting quickly can make the difference between a minor security incident and a major cyber attack.

Here’s what every business should do if an employee clicks on a suspicious email.

Stay calm and act quickly

It’s easy to panic when someone admits they’ve clicked on a phishing link, but responding quickly and methodically is far more important than assigning blame.

Many employees delay reporting mistakes because they’re worried about getting into trouble. Unfortunately, that delay often gives attackers more time to steal data, install malware or gain access to business systems.

Creating a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable reporting suspicious activity immediately is one of the most effective ways to reduce the impact of phishing attacks.

Find out exactly what happened

Not every phishing incident is the same.

Ask the employee:

• Did they simply open the email?
• Did they click a link?
• Did they download a file?
• Did they open an attachment?
• Did they enter their username and password?
• Did they provide any financial or customer information?

These details help your IT team understand the level of risk and determine the most appropriate response.

Disconnect the affected device

If there’s any possibility that malware has been downloaded or installed, disconnect the affected computer from the network as soon as possible.

This may involve:

• Disconnecting Wi-Fi
• Unplugging the network cable
• Removing VPN access

Isolating the device helps prevent malicious software from spreading to other systems while the incident is investigated.

Contact your IT support provider immediately

If your business has a managed IT support provider, notify them straight away. The earlier a specialist cybersecurity company becomes involved, the greater the chance of containing the incident before significant damage occurs.

Your IT team can:

• Investigate what happened
• Check for malware
• Review network activity
• Identify compromised accounts
• Block malicious connections
• Begin incident response procedures

Prompt action is especially important if the employee entered login credentials or downloaded suspicious files.

Reset compromised passwords

If the employee entered their username and password into a fake website, assume those credentials have been stolen.

Immediately:

• Change the affected password
• Reset passwords for any accounts using the same credentials
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) if it isn’t already active
• Sign the user out of active sessions where appropriate

If administrator accounts may have been compromised, they should be prioritised immediately.

Scan for malware

A full antivirus and endpoint security scan should be carried out on the affected device.

Modern cybersecurity software can often detect:

• Malware
• Ransomware
• Trojans
• Spyware
• Malicious downloads

Your IT provider may also perform additional forensic checks to confirm that no malicious software remains on the device.

Check Microsoft 365 and business accounts

Many phishing attacks are designed to steal Microsoft 365 credentials.

Once attackers gain access, they may:

• Read emails
• Create inbox forwarding rules
• Send phishing emails from legitimate accounts
• Access OneDrive files
• View SharePoint data
• Target other employees

Your IT team should review login activity, check for suspicious account changes and remove any unauthorised access.

Monitor the wider network

One compromised account doesn’t always mean the attack has spread, but it’s important to investigate thoroughly.

Security monitoring should include:

• Unusual login attempts
• Suspicious network traffic
• Unexpected software installations
• Changes to security settings
• Attempts to access sensitive data

Managed monitoring tools can often identify malicious activity before it develops into a larger incident.

Learn from the incident

Every phishing incident provides an opportunity to strengthen your cybersecurity.

After the investigation, consider:

• Why the email looked convincing
• Whether security filters could be improved
• Whether employees need additional awareness training
• Whether existing policies should be updated

The goal isn’t to blame individuals, but to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents happening again.

Prevent future phishing attacks

No organisation can eliminate phishing completely, but several measures significantly reduce the risk.

These include:

• Regular cybersecurity awareness training
• Multi-factor authentication
• Advanced email filtering
• Managed endpoint protection
• Strong password policies
• Prompt software updates
• Managed firewalls
• Cyber Essentials certification

Businesses that combine technical protection with ongoing employee education are generally far more resilient against phishing attacks.

Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and even well-trained employees can occasionally be caught out. What matters most is how quickly your business responds.

Working with a proactive managed IT support provider also helps ensure your organisation has the right combination of monitoring, cybersecurity tools, employee training and incident response planning to minimise the impact of future attacks.