The Tedrick Group Risk Management Solutions

A phishing attack is a form of social engineering by which cyber criminals attempt to trick individuals by creating and sending fake emails that appear to be from an authentic source, such as a business or colleague. The email might ask you to confirm personal account information such as a password or prompt you to open a malicious attachment that infects your computer with a virus or malware.

Phishing emails are one of the most common online threats, so it is important to be aware of the tell-tale signs and know what to do when you encounter them. Here are five ways to spot phishing attacks.

1. The email asks you to confirm personal information

Often an email will arrive in your inbox that looks very authentic. Whether this email matches the style used by your company or that of an external business such as a bank, hackers can go to painstaking lengths to ensure that it imitates the real thing. However, when this authentic-looking email makes requests that you wouldn’t normally expect, it’s often a strong giveaway that it’s not from a trusted source after all.

Keep an eye out for emails requesting you to confirm personal information that you would never usually provide, such as banking details or login credentials. Do not reply or click any links and if you think there’s a possibility that the email is genuine, you should search online and contact the organization directly  – do not use any communication method provided in the email.

2. The web and email addresses do not look genuine

It is often the case that a phishing email will come from an address that appears to be genuine. Criminals aim to trick recipients by including the name of a legitimate company within the structure of email and web addresses. If you only glance at these details they can look very real but if you take a moment to actually examine the email address you may find that it’s a bogus variation intended to appear authentic ‒ for example: @mail.airbnb.work as opposed to @Airbnb.com

Malicious links can also be concealed with the body of email text, often alongside genuine ones.  Before clicking on links, hover over and inspect each one first.

3. It’s poorly written

It is amazing how often you can spot a phishing email simply by the poor language used in the body of the message. Read the email and check for spelling and grammatical mistakes, as well as strange turns of phrase. Emails from legitimate companies will have been constructed by professional writers and exhaustively checked for spelling, grammar and legality errors. If you have received an unexpected email from a company, and it is riddled with mistakes, this can be a strong indicator it is actually a phish.

Interestingly, there is even the suggestion that scam emails are deliberately poorly written to ensure that they only trick the most gullible targets.

4. There’s a suspicious attachment

Alarm bells should be ringing if you receive an email from a company out of the blue that contains an attachment, especially if it relates to something unexpected. The attachment could contain a malicious URL or trojan, leading to the installation of a virus or malware on your PC or network. Even if you think an attachment is genuine, it’s good practice to always scan it first using antivirus software.

5. The message is designed to make you panic

It is common for phishing emails to instill panic in the recipient. The email may claim that your account may have been compromised and the only way to verify it is to enter your login details. Alternatively, the email might state that your account will be closed if you do not act immediately. Ensure that you take the time to really think about whether an email is asking something reasonable of you. If you’re unsure, contact the company through other methods.

Ultimately, being cautious with emails can’t hurt. Always remember this tip-
STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ tip:

When in doubt, throw it out: Links in emails, social media posts and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to steal your personal information. Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, delete it.

Author Bio

Mike James is a Brighton based writer and cybersecurity professional who specializes in penetration testing, ethical hacking and other cybersecurity issues facing businesses of all sizes

To see the original article, click here.

^{FROM LEFT, Andrew Verderber of Springfield Electric; Gener Eyre of Springfield Electric; Roger Tedrick, owner of the Tedrick Group; Chad Brandon, President and Certified Risk Architect of the Tedrick Group; Pam Allen, president of Clinton Electric and Owen Allen, vice president of Clinton Electric.}

A ceremony was held Wednesday, February 27, 2019 to recognize the Tedrick Group for being the first commercial solar array system installed within the city.

Pam Allen, president of Clinton Electric based in Ina, said that February 4th was the date where the system got energized at the Tedrick Group.
"We are really recognizing two things today: the solar array being energized and the fact that the Tedrick Group is the first commercial solar array in the city of Mt. Vernon," Allen said, "That is really no surprise to me at all.  We are a customer of theirs and we have been with them for many years for our insurance."

Roger Tedrick, owner of the Tedrick Group, discussed the decision to have the solar array installed.
"We like to be on the cutting edge and the first one in the community to have solar on our building," Tedrick said.  "We think it is the right thing to do.  When we first approached it with Clinton Electric, we had that discussion and cost was a factor of course, there are tax credits."
"It's still a leap of faith.  You still have to feel like it is the right thing to do," Tedrick said.  "I hope it is a catalyst for other people to look into it and go down this path."

The total cost of the system was $70,369, with some tax credits helping to offset the cost.

Darren Volle, energy team leader of Springfield Electric, which has a branch office in Mt. Vernon, discussed their involvement with this project.
"Springfield Electric is a distributor of electrical equipment. We have a team that Andrew [Verderber] is a part of and he designed and engineered it," Velle said.  "That team goes around and puts together all of the bills and materials, the design of the system, consults with structural engineer on the roof to make sure it is structurally sound to hold the array.
"Then we go in and we apply for all the rebates, speak with the customer about the tax credits, what the payback is going to be," Volle said.  "That is what our team focuses on for the solar.  Then we partner with Clinton Electric, who does all the installation and who has the relationships with the customers."

The new system will require minimal maintenance, as Verderber shared some of the specifications of the panels that were installed on the roof of the Tedrick Group Building.  The size of their solar array is a 22.7-kilowatt system.
“They are 360-watt panels and there are 63 of them,” Verderber said.  “They are American made from Mission Solar out of Texas. So that was something that Tedrick and Clinton really liked about that panel, just the American made aspect.”

Allen commented on Clinton Electric’s relationship with the Tedrick Group.
“They are a leader in the insurance industry,” Allen said.  “They are on the cutting edge of what is going on in the insurance world.  They are a leader. They are not catching up, they are leading the way and it is not surprising that they are doing that with the solar array as well.”

Allen gave her reaction to Clinton Electric being the installer for the system for the Tedrick Group.
“We are really proud that we got to be the installer on their solar array, and as soon as we get some nice weather it will really start producing energy,” Allen said. “You will have about 62 percent of your energy needs supplied by this array.  That is the estimate with the type of system that was put in.  Over 25 to 30 years, the projection is that you will save a little over $100,000 on your electric bills.”

A plaque was presented to the Tedrick Group recognizing them for being the first commercial system array in the city, along with the date the system was energized.

Written by Josh Jones, Sentinel News Staff and published in the February 28, 2019 edition of the Mt. Vernon Sentinel

The Tedrick Group office was closed February 28 from 11:30AM to 1:30PM in order to honor Cheryl Kwiatkowski and her 20 year anniversary with the Tedrick Group with a staff luncheon.  Congratulations and Thank You to Cheryl for her long time service!

It’s no surprise that distracted driving is a major cause of car-related injuries and deaths. In fact, it’s estimated that roughly 25% of motor vehicle accident fatalities [3] are a result of distracted driving.

But what causes us to be distracted while driving in the first place? A Pennsylvania-based insurance company [4] examined data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, which surveys all American motor vehicle fatalities.

The results reveal the top ten causes of distracted driving, and make it clear that not all distractions are created equal.
1. Smoking related – 1%. Only one in a hundred accidents is related to lighting a cigarette, smoking or putting it out.
2. Moving objects – 1%. Moving objects in the car such as insects and pets can lead you to take your eyes off the road—and at least one source suggests [5] that it may be an underreported cause of distraction.
3. Using devices/controls to operate the vehicle – 1%. Surprisingly, adjusting things like mirrors or seatbelts plays a relatively minor role in distraction-related car accidents.
4. Adjusting audio or climate controls – 2%. Fiddling with the radio or adjusting the A/C for even a moment is a factor in a small number of traffic fatalities.
5. Eating or drinking – 2%. Every car has cupholders—and using them can be a definite source of distraction.
6. Using or reaching for a device brought into the car – 2%. We all know that using devices like cellphones can take our minds off the task of driving. But it turns out that even reaching for them can lead to a serious accident.
7. Other occupants – 5%. Other people in the car can place major demands on your attention when you’re driving, which can result in a collision.
8. Outside person, object or event – 7%. It turns out that looking at something or someone outside the car, like gawking at an accident or at people in other cars, is even more of a distraction than the person in the passenger seat.
9. Cellphone use – 12%. The second-leading cause of deaths due to distraction-related car accidents won’t be a surprise to anyone, as cellphones can distract us in a number of ways. But if they’re not the biggest cause then what is?
10. Generally distracted or “lost in thought” – 62%. By far the biggest cause of distracted driving fatalities is a driver’s mind wandering for long enough to lead to a collision—and someone’s death.

Though these 10 factors have a vastly different rate of occurrence, what’s interesting is they all have one thing in common. The one factor in every distracted driving accident is drivers paying attention to something other than driving. So what causes so many drivers to feel they can take their eyes and mind off the road?

There’s a simple but dangerous answer: complacency.

After you’ve been driving for a while you get comfortable and can forget just how dangerous it can be—because you’re complacent to the risks of driving. As a result, you’re more likely to feel like you can send a quick text or daydream without putting yourself in danger.

Compounding the problem are other states of mind like rushing, frustration and fatigue. These can further contribute to taking your eyes and mind off the task of driving and influence your decisions to do things when driving that increase your risk of a collision.

So what can you do about it? Check out this free guide on distracted driving [6] that examines why we’re so distracted when behind the wheel—and what we can do about it.

The guide collects the best research on distracted driving and provides an interesting new model for understanding distracted employees in the workplace. Discover an effective framework for improving focus and reducing distraction.

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