A Flowchart for People in a Hurry
We get it. You’re busy. Your inbox is full. You’re trying to send an invoice, respond to that meeting invite, and figure out where your coffee went. Then ping, another email lands with a link.
“Click here to review.”
Seems harmless. You click.
Bad move?
Let’s find out, fast.
The Problem: We’re All Clicking Too Fast
The average employee receives over 100 emails per day. Most of them include links. Some are from clients. Others are from Steve in marketing who still doesn’t understand BCC.
But one of them… is from someone pretending to be your boss. And one click could cost the business thousands.
Why Links Are the #1 Cybersecurity Risk
- 90% of successful cyberattacks start with a click
- Phishing emails look more real than ever
- Link shorteners and redirects make it harder to see what’s legit
- Mobile devices hide full URLs
- You don’t need to be a hacker to cause chaos, you just need a distracted user.
Meet the Flowchart: A Simple Decision Tree for Link Sanity
When in doubt, run the link through this flowchart:
- Do you know the sender?
- No = Don’t click. Report it.
- Yes = Go to Step 2.
- Were you expecting the message or document?
- No = Verify first. Call or message the sender.
- Yes = Go to Step 3.
- Does the message use weird language, bad grammar, or feel ‘off’?
- Yes = Treat with suspicion
- No = Go to Step 4.
- Is it marked urgent, especially involving money or passwords?
- Yes = Verify offline before clicking. Urgency is a red flag.
- No = Go to Step 5.
- Hover over the link, does the URL look legit?
- No = Do not click.
- Yes = Go to Step 6.
- Final gut check!! does anything feel weird?
- Yes = Trust your gut. Don’t click.
- No = Safe to proceed.
Real-World Link Disasters (and How to Avoid Them)
HR Manager clicks a Dropbox link → Ransomware infects payroll system
Receptionist clicks an ‘Outlook login’ prompt → Credentials stolen, internal spam bomb follows
Director clicks a supplier invoice link → Fake site harvests bank details
All of these could’ve been avoided with a 10-second pause.
What to Do If You Already Clicked
- Stop everything. Don’t enter info or download anything.
- Disconnect from the network (especially if on Wi-Fi).
- Call immediately. Faster action = less damage.
- Don’t panic, but don’t delay. Every minute counts
How We Help You Stay Safe (Even When You’re in a Hurry)
Our managed service includes:
- Advanced email filtering and link scanning
- Anti-phishing training with real-world simulations
- Browser-level protections
- Instant alerting for high-risk clicks
We can’t stop you being busy, but we can stop a link from ruining your day.
Final Thoughts
Links are everywhere. Most are fine. Some are not. One bad click can undo years of good work.
So before you click, breathe, scan, and remember: your future self will thank you for taking 10 seconds.
FAQs
Q: Can I trust links from people I know?
A: Not always. Their account could be compromised.
Q: Are link shorteners safe?
A: Sometimes…but they hide the destination. Treat them with caution.
Q: What’s the fastest way to check a link?
A: Hover over it (on desktop) and check the full domain. On mobile? Call or verify offline.
Q: Can you run a phishing test on our team?
A: Definitely. We can simulate real attacks to see who clicks, and train them accordingly.
Q: What if a user clicks, but nothing happens?
A: Still report it. Some malware installs silently. It’s better to be safe than compromised.