An Employee Clicked on a Phishing Email - What Should Your Business Do Next?
- Neil Hare-Brown
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
Phishing emails are one of the most common entry points for cyber attacks, and it only takes a single click to put your organisation at risk.
Whether a staff member downloaded a malicious attachment, submitted login details on a fake site, or clicked a suspicious link, what matters now is how your business responds.
At STORM Guidance, we help businesses manage phishing-related incidents calmly and effectively, protecting systems, data, and people from further harm.
Step 1: Don’t Panic - But Act Quickly
Mistakes happen, and phishing tactics are increasingly sophisticated.
Reassure the employee that they’ve done the right thing by reporting it, and move immediately to contain any potential threat.
Step 2: Disconnect the Affected Device
To prevent any potential malware from spreading:
Disconnect the device from the network (wired or wireless)
Avoid powering off the machine unless advised by IT/security - memory may be useful for investigation
Do not allow the user to continue using the device until it’s assessed
Step 3: Notify Your IT or Security Team
Escalate the incident to your internal security team or external provider. They will:
Review email headers and the payload (e.g. link or attachment)
Scan for malware or signs of intrusion
Check for credential theft or unauthorised logins
Begin containment and forensics if a compromise is confirmed
If you don’t have in-house cyber response capability, STORM Guidance can support immediately.
Step 4: Reset Credentials (If Login Details Were Entered)
If the phishing email involved a login page and the employee entered their details:
Reset their passwords immediately
Check for signs of suspicious access to accounts or systems
Apply or enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) if it’s not already in place
Step 5: Scan the Network for Further Impact
If malware was downloaded or an attacker gained access:
Review logs for lateral movement or data exfiltration
Identify any endpoints or servers that may also be affected
Monitor for Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) linked to known phishing campaigns
Step 6: Report the Incident
Depending on the outcome:
Report to your regulatory authority (e.g. the ICO in the UK) if personal data was compromised
Notify any affected clients or users where appropriate
Document the incident for internal review, insurance, and legal purposes
Step 7: Learn and Educate
Phishing is as much a people issue as it is a technical one. Use the incident as a training moment:
Reassure the team that reporting quickly is the right thing to do
Share safe practices for spotting and reporting phishing emails
Consider phishing simulations and awareness refreshers
The goal isn’t blame - it’s building confidence and reducing future risk.
How STORM Guidance Can Help
✔ Immediate phishing incident response and investigation
✔ Credential compromise and network exposure assessment
✔ Regulatory and reporting support
✔ Long-term awareness training and phishing simulations
✔ Security policy review and email filtering best practices
One Click Doesn’t Have to Mean a Crisis
A phishing click doesn’t always lead to a full-scale breach - especially when the response is fast, structured, and informed.
With the right tools, training, and support, your business can not only contain the incident but reduce the chance of it happening again.
STORM Guidance is here to support your business - from immediate response to long-term resilience.
