Do you know why hackers prefer to deploy phishing attacks against businesses and organizations?

As per research, phishing attacks are highly effective in impersonating reputed businesses or individuals.

Hackers mainly utilize email, text messages, social media, and other mediums to steal sensitive information and money by tricking users. Phishing attempts are specifically designed to create emotional pressure such as curiosity and urgency. The intention behind a phishing attack can be any such as stealing social security numbers, login credentials, and credit card’s sensitive data. Sometimes cybercriminals block the entire workforce network of a business causing massive financial loss.

Check out some of the common phishing attacks types that scammers prefer to launch against your business:

•    Email Phishing

It is the most common phishing attack as E-mail can be effortlessly manipulated to appear authentic. The email contains fraudulent links, harmful links, and files. It may also request personal and financial information while imitating banks, financial organizations, or the IRS. Traditionally, the links lead to fraudulent websites that either acquire credentials or install harmful software, known as malware, on a user's computer. The attachments, which are generally PDFs, include harmful material that installs spyware when the victim opens the document.

•    Search Engine Phishing

Most of us prefer to use search engines to get information and data over the internet. By using SEO poising technique cybercriminals can easily create counterfeit websites that appear on top of the search results. Unknowingly users are then tricked into visiting fake websites. Generally, we don’t inspect URLs that appear in search results, but these fake websites can easily steal your confidential data and details.

•    Spear Phishing

This type of phishing includes targeting a specific group or individual, such as corporate heads or managers. Spear Phishing enhances the possibility of phishing accomplishment by customizing the attack as per the victim's preferences and expectations. It is often aimed at profitable targets holding top positions in an organization.

•    Whaling

This phishing attack is specifically designed to target “Whales” or “big fish in an organization. A hacker deploys the attack against CEOs, CFOs, and other top-ranking managers within an organization. This can be used to gather confidential information like the company's bank accounts, tax paperwork, and financial authorization codes.

•    Malware Phishing

The attack contains malware links and attachments which are again delivered via Email and SMS. The main objective of the attack is to gain long-term access to the victim’s devices. It helps the attacker to take full control of the system if he/she finds it profitable.

•    Smishing

SMS is used to carry out smishing attacks. However, the concept is identical to email phishing. Cybercriminals send fake SMS messages to victims' smartphones that include malicious links. The URLs might lead to counterfeit software changes, surprise payouts, or app installations which can corrupt the smartphone.

•    Vishing

This is also known as voice vishing. By using the attacking technique, an attacker or a gang calls a victim and pretends to be representing technical support, a banking representative, a government agency, or some other entity. The victims are fooled into providing sensitive information including login credentials and financial information, which the cybercriminals then employ to infiltrate.

•    Man-in-the-Middle Phishing

By sitting in the center of a network, cyber attackers can take over control of it. They can eavesdrop on and observe user communications on a hacked network. Attackers can spoof and manipulate authentic website requests. If this occurs, login passwords and sensitive data can be effortlessly stolen, as well as leads to serious final loss.

•    Clone Phishing

This attack includes gaining access to a victim's email account. The hackers then manipulate emails in the compromised inbox by altering attachments and inserting fraudulent links. Eventually, hackers distribute the altered email to the target's contact list, which is something the receiver trusts since it originates from a trustworthy source.

•    Malvertising

Malware may be deployed intentionally through digital advertising networks or internet advertising campaigns. Hapless victims' computers are hacked when they click on this kind of advertisement.

Final Words

You should protect your workforce against phishing by scheduling regular training or phishing detection strategies. Furthermore, network filtering software solutions should be used to prevent malicious emails. Phishing attacks are becoming more common; safeguard your company by being vigilant in terms of cyber security. Get in touch with us today to discover more about IT security solutions and how to keep your enterprise safe and secure.
 

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See Also - How to Identify & Avoid Phishing Scams in 2022?