Phishing can target the people behind a website
A business website relies on more than its public pages. Staff use email, hosting dashboards, domain registrars, content systems and payment tools. A convincing message that steals one login can expose several connected accounts. Canada’s Get Cyber Safe guidance describes phishing as messages that imitate trusted senders to steal information and recommends helping teams recognize warning signs.
The goal is not to expect every employee to identify every deceptive message. The organization should make safe behaviour practical: slow down requests that create urgency, provide a simple way to report suspicious messages, and protect the accounts that can change a website or transfer money.
Teach people to check the whole request
Look for unexpected urgency, an unfamiliar sender address, misspelled or look-alike domains, unexpected attachments, and requests to sign in through a link. A polished logo does not prove authenticity. If a message claims that a domain, invoice or website account will be suspended, open the official service using a saved bookmark or type its known address yourself.
Do not test a suspicious link by opening it on a work device. Ask a colleague or administrator through a separate channel if the request is expected. Report the message using the organization’s approved process. Staff should know that a quick report is more valuable than embarrassment or blame after a click.
Harden the accounts that control the site
Use multifactor authentication, unique passwords stored in an approved password manager, and individual accounts rather than one shared administrator login. Remove access when staff or contractors leave. Review account recovery addresses and phone numbers. Keep the domain registrar, website platform, email tenant and backup account access list in a secure, company-controlled record.
Apply software and plugin updates through a documented process. Limit administrator access to people who need it, and use a separate standard account for routine work. Maintain backups that are protected from the same account that runs the website. These controls also help recovery if a password is stolen or an account is misused.
Create a response path before the first suspicious click
Write down who can disable a compromised account, contact the hosting provider, restore the site and notify leadership. If a password was entered on a fake page, change it from a trusted device, revoke active sessions and check other accounts where that password was reused. If an employee opened an attachment, contact IT support rather than assuming that closing the window ended the risk.
Preserve the message, sender, time, affected account and actions taken. A small business may not have an internal security team, so identify the managed IT provider and financial contacts in advance. Canada’s Cyber Centre baseline offers broader small- and medium-organization controls; adapt them to the information and services your business actually uses.
Practical checklist
- Use multifactor authentication for email, hosting, domain and website administration.
- Reach sign-in pages from saved bookmarks instead of urgent email links.
- Give employees a simple, blame-free way to report suspicious messages.
- Keep a response contact list and independent backups.
In short
Phishing risk is reduced through layered controls: trained people, protected accounts, limited access and a rehearsed response—not a single filter.
This article is general educational information, not legal, privacy, cybersecurity or financial advice. Confirm requirements for your situation with a qualified professional.