Phishing continues to pose the highest threat to people and businesses among all the different types of cyberattacks. Phishing is a type of internet fraud that entails impersonating a reliable source to fool people into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card details.
According to the government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022, published earlier this year, phishing is the most common kind of cybercriminal activity encountered by UK businesses and charities, with 83% having been targeted by phishing scams.
Phishing attacks peaked in 2021, according to APWG's Phishing Activity Trends Report, which was published in February 2022. More than 300,000 attacks were reported in December, more than three times as many as there were in December of the previous year.
HOW CAN PHISHING ATTACKS BE IDENTIFIED?
It can be difficult to determine whether or not you have received a phishing email. Especially when you see professional-looking, well-written emails that appear to be issued by reputable firms. However, if you exercise caution and keep an eye out for the following red flags, you will likely avoid falling for these frauds.
Emails Sent from a Public Email Domain
Examining email addresses, links, and domain names for inconsistencies is a second easy technique to spot a potential phishing attack. The majority of businesses have their own domain and email accounts. Be wary if the domain names do not match the company's name.
Poorly Composed Emails
Poor spelling and grammar are among the most prominent indicators of phishing emails. The majority of firms have the spell check function enabled for outgoing emails. Thus, it is unusual for emails from a professional source to contain misspellings or grammatical errors.
Messages That Convey a Sense of Urgency
More often than not, fraudulent emails contain dire warnings or use a sense of urgency to induce immediate action. A phishing effort could go undetected if readers do not check the text attentively.
Emails Contain Questionable Links or Attachments
Every attachment should be opened with extreme caution. If the attachment's extension is typically associated with malware downloads or is unusual, this could be a warning indicator. Always scan attachments for viruses before opening them.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS'S DATA?
Phishing Simulator, a comprehensive anti-phishing product offered by PennAware enables businesses to conduct fake phishing assaults on their staff members. This provides the company with valuable insight into the vulnerabilities of its workforce and enables it to determine the kinds of training that should be provided. Further, PennAware Pishing Simulator output can be integrated to PennAware Awareness Trainer or your existing learning management system to automate sending training to employees based on how they react to simulated phishing campaigns.
