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Did you know that most cyberattacks actually begin as phishing attacks? Yes, it’s crazy, but apparently, some of the biggest cyberattacks ever began that way, and so the trend continues—approximately 9 out of 10 phishing attacks emerge from cybersecurity issues. It’s definitely the most common type of cyberattack—a common tactic used by cybercriminals to steal passwords and other sensitive information. They can use this information to do all sorts of bad things, like hack into your email or even hold your data for ransom. That’s why it’s important to be aware of these risks and take steps to protect yourself.
Phishing is a sneaky type of online scam where someone pretends to be a trusted source to trick you into giving them your personal information, like credit card numbers or passwords. It can be done with the use of social media, email, or malicious websites. Usually, phishing messages will have a link that leads you to a website that closely resembles the real one, where you’ll be asked to enter personal information that will then be used to steal your identity or to make fraudulent charges on your credit card.
There are numerous types of phishing. And although email phishing dominates as the most common type of phishing, it is no longer the only means through which victims can be targeted. The development of social media, mobile devices, and other platforms has given attackers even more avenues.
Cybercriminals really dig phishing because it’s super easy to get into. No special skills are required, doesn’t cost much, and totally works. Anyone can do it. All you need is a phishing kit or access to a phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) platform, and you’re good to go. It’s no wonder a whopping 92% of organizations were targeted by phishing attacks in 2022—a 29% increase from 2021.
Hackers have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves when it comes to trying to fool you, so it’s almost impossible not to fall for them—they really go all out. Their social engineering techniques aim to deceive and manipulate you into downloading an attachment or clicking on a link. By using a time-sensitive statement with authoritarian terminology and an official-looking logo, they play on your emotions to compel you to take immediate action. Or, they could pretend to be the CEO or another official within your place of employment to get you to do something else. What makes phishing such a powerful weapon is the fact that people sometimes let their guard down and do not keep an eye out for red flags.
Spotting phishing attempts can be quite tricky, even for experienced professionals. Phishing messages are so sophisticated these days that it’s becoming more and more difficult for people to tell if a message is legit or dangerous to interact with. And to make matters worse, many people are still unaware that phishing exists, much less how to deal with it. Ensure that you are not one of those people. Learn all that you can about this to keep yourself safe online.
Here are some red flags that might help you spot phishing messages:
Whether a message is coming from someone you’ve interacted with before or not, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, and you, therefore, need to treat it with caution. If you’re not sure about the person sending you something that seems suspicious, you would need to use Nuwber or any other reliable source to verify the identity of the sender before you interact with them. This is especially true for government agencies—cyber criminals love masquerading as government officials. At no time will the US federal government ever ask you for card details, PII, or any financial information via email. If you ever come across such an email, it will most definitely be phishing.
If there are emojis, usage errors, spelling mistakes, or any other irregular elements in the subject of an email, you should definitely be suspicious. Similarly, if you spot spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in the greeting, or if it differs from what you usually receive from this particular sender, it’s most likely a phishing attempt.
Checking for these is the hallmark test for spotting phishing messages and the simplest way to detect an attack. Granted, we all make spelling errors every now and again, but a message filled with spelling errors is suspicious. Be sure to check for strange word choices, grammatical errors, sentences that make no sense, variations from the alleged sender’s usual email style, or problems with punctuation or capitalization. Beware of colors that don’t exactly match the norm, logos that look strange, and unusual fonts and formatting.
For sure, when you receive messages from a big corporation, they will most likely come from their official domain. So keep an eye out for that! If the sender’s domain is different, you should be cautious.
A typical phishing scam uses malicious links to obtain your login information or direct you to a website where your financial details or personally identifiable information (PII) can be taken. When you move your mouse over a link, you will see its path. If it doesn’t appear to lead to a trustworthy site, then don’t click it. But if you already have, then whatever page it directed you to, you need to ensure that you don’t give any information there. It is more than likely phishing, and it could infect your systems with malware like ransomware. Furthermore, you need to ensure that you never download or open any attachments that you were not expecting, even if they appear harmless.
Despite having been around for over 20 years, phishing remains a huge threat for two main reasons: it’s ridiculously easy to carry out, and it works. Why is it so successful? Because there are still a large number of people who aren’t aware of it and the threat it poses. All the information mentioned in this blog post will help you identify and prevent phishing attacks coming your way with ease.
