According to Kaspersky Telemetry, the number of such phishing attacks has doubled in the past year. The company's anti-phishing system successfully blocked 2022 attempts to access fraudulent content in 507.851.735, double the number of attacks blocked the year before.
Although spam and phishing attacks are not particularly complex from a technological point of view, cybercriminals sometimes use sophisticated social engineering tactics to get there. In addition, phishing websites are emerging that look confusingly similar to the legitimate ones, thereby enticing users to reveal personal information or online banking login details.
Over 500 million phishing emails
The scammers most often used delivery services as a cover. In 27,38 percent of all phishing attacks, cybercriminals sent fake emails on behalf of known delivery companies, claiming there was a problem with a delivery. Emails of this type contained a link to a fake website that asked for personal information or financial details. If the victim fell for the scam, the attackers were able to obtain the individual's identity and banking information and then resell it to websites on the dark web. The names of popular online shops (15,56 percent), payment systems (10,39 percent) and banks (10,39 percent) were chosen as further hooks.
Attacks via WhatsApp & Co are increasing
Kaspersky experts also saw an increase in attacks via Messenger, with the majority of blocked attempts coming from WhatsApp (82,71 percent), followed by Telegram (14,12 percent) and Viber (3,17 percent).
“Phishing is one of the most prevalent and damaging threats in the cybersecurity landscape, with phishing sites often used as door openers to more serious cyber threats, which can then lead to identity theft, financial loss and potential reputational damage for both individual consumers and businesses. That's why it's so important that everyone understands this type of threat and takes the necessary measures to protect themselves," said Olga Svistunova, security researcher at Kaspersky.
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About Kaspersky Kaspersky is an international cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's in-depth threat intelligence and security expertise serve as the basis for innovative security solutions and services to protect companies, critical infrastructures, governments and private users worldwide. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection as well as a range of specialized security solutions and services to defend against complex and evolving cyber threats. Kaspersky technologies protect over 400 million users and 250.000 corporate customers. More information about Kaspersky can be found at www.kaspersky.com/