Cybersecurity will be on high alert as Americans participate in major activities like the 2024 presidential election, large cultural festivals, and high-profile sporting events.
Phishing attacks occur throughout the year in a bid to deceive users through emails and messages.
These threats are heightened during high-profile events such as presidential elections, cultural festivals like music festivals or state fairs, major sporting events like the Olympics, and national celebrations like Independence Day.
Cybercriminals target such events, looking for vulnerabilities to steal sensitive information or spread malware. Individuals and organizations must remain prepared and establish appropriate and effective cybersecurity measures to protect against these threats and risks to personal and organizational data.
So to summarise, what is a phishing attack?
A phishing attack is a type of cyberattack in which cybercriminals try to obtain sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data through similarly compromised websites, emails, or text messages. Phishing attacks are typically used to obtain money or gain unauthorized access to systems.
Phishing scenario:
Forged Communications: Most attackers send emails or messages that appear to come from a legitimate source such as a bank, government agency, or a trusted company until you read the content. Most of these forged messages create a red flag so that the targeted recipient does not think twice before proceeding.
Deception: Phishing messages ask you to provide sensitive information such as login details, credit card details, or personal identification numbers including PINs, and may also contain links that lead to replicas of real websites.
Social Engineering: Phishing attacks use some sort of social engineering tactic to manipulate an individual. They play on the target’s emotions by creating scenarios that make people feel scared (e.g. threatening to close their accounts), curious (e.g. rewards for clicking), or overly trusting (e.g. masquerading as a close colleague or friend).
Consequences: If recipients fall for a phishing scam and provide their information or click on a malicious link, attackers can use this information to steal personal information, commit financial fraud, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive accounts or networks.
Recent cybersecurity reports highlight the impact of phishing:
In the first quarter of 2024, over 963,000 unique phishing sites were detected worldwide.
As of Q1 2024, online industries around the world are the most heavily targeted by phishing attacks. In Q1 2024, 37.6% of global phishing attacks occurred on social media. Web-based software services and webmail came in second, accounting for approximately 21% of registered attacks. Financial institutions also recorded 9.8% of attacks.
Poor employee password management was the biggest mistake leading to incidents.
Protecting yourself from phishing attacks: Essential strategies
Verify the source: Double-check the authenticity of an email, message, or website before clicking on a link or sharing any personal information. Check the sender’s email address for suspicious domain names or minor spelling mistakes. Hover your mouse over a link to see the actual URL before clicking it.
Enable multi-factor authentication: Enabling two-factor or multi-factor authentication can significantly reduce and prevent your chances of falling victim to a phishing attack.
Double-check requests for information: No legitimate organization will ever ask for sensitive information such as passwords, social security numbers, or credit card information via email. When in doubt, contact the organization directly using the contact information on their official website.
Cybersecurity software: Choosing a reputable and experienced cybersecurity software can help detect and block such phishing attacks, keeping your business and its data safe.
SafeDNS specializes in robust cybersecurity software solutions, including the industry’s leading phishing threat feed. Our long-standing and highly effective software combines advanced threat detection with proactive security measures to detect and block phishing attacks.
Combined with an up-to-date database of phishing threats, SafeDNS enables organizations to protect their valuable data, browse the web with confidence, and be protected from rapidly changing cyber threats. With SafeDNS, businesses can significantly improve their cybersecurity posture, reduce the risks associated with phishing attacks, and create a safer digital environment for their operations.
Training your employees: Regular training on how to handle data safely, how to spot phishing emails, flawless security systems on your devices, etc. can significantly reduce the chances of falling victim to a phishing scam.
Report suspicious activity: If you receive a phishing email, report it to your organization’s IT department or the appropriate authorities. This will help prevent others from falling victim to a similar attack.
IPv6 Email Infrastructure: An IPv6-based email infrastructure also raises the security bar for email systems. In fact, due to improved encryption and a larger address space, IPv6 significantly reduces the risk of IP spoofing, which is frequently used by phishing attackers. By moving to the new protocol, organizations provide phishing attackers with increased security features and stronger authentication mechanisms, making it much more difficult for them to exploit vulnerabilities inherent in older IPv4 systems.
Web filtering: However, a proven solution to phishing is web filtering. The great thing about this tool is that it can provide a much stronger layer of protection against phishing attempts that may bypass email filters.
Web filters keep you safe while you browse online by continuously monitoring and blocking malicious sites, and also prevent accidental exposure to corrupted content, making them a solid component of comprehensive cyber security.
For example, SafeDNS, used by over 6 million users worldwide, filters phishing sites 20% more effectively than other services. The benefits of filtering go beyond email protection.
Block newly generated phishing links: SafeDNS blocks new domains until they are verified, protecting you from the latest scams.
Provides secure communications: Web filtering is not limited to protecting email. It also applies to messaging apps, corporate chat platforms, and other communication tools. These channels are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals for phishing attacks because they can exploit vulnerabilities and user trust. Web filtering protects all forms of digital communication by filtering and blocking suspicious links and malicious content in real time, allowing employees and users to interact safely without the risk of falling victim to phishing scams.
Enable safe surfing: A web filter prevents you from accidentally straying into malicious territory while browsing the internet. Save internet traffic: A web filter filters unwanted content from the internet, reducing bandwidth consumption and improving your experience and efficiency when using the internet. Increase productivity: An installed web filter does more than just restrict access to certain types of resources; it helps keep your employees productive and prevents them from getting distracted by other websites such as social media and streaming platforms.
Phishing attacks are a major concern, especially during culturally significant events, as cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities with deceptive tactics to steal personal information and spread malware, posing significant risks to individuals and organizations.
Effective protection against phishing requires proper cybersecurity, which typically means verifying the authenticity of messages, using multi-factor authentication, and leveraging advanced cybersecurity software like SafeDNS, which offers comprehensive protection against phishing threats.
These proactive measures ensure that your digital interactions are safe across the board and keep the online scene secure in the face of evolving cyber threats.
