In our time, phishing attacks, also known as “phishing”, are becoming an ever-increasing threat. It is therefore very important to learn how to stay safe from such attacks.
Internet security experts warn that there are different phishing attacks, with spear phishing being one of the most widespread.
Spear phishing focuses on targeting specific individuals or groups, unlike regular phishing, which does not target its victims. According to a report by security firm Barracuda Networks, these types of attacks are often pre-screened and aim to capture data such as login credentials or other sensitive information. To make the attacks more credible, they often use impersonation and pretend to be companies that consumers trust, researchers found.
Specifically, attackers send emails that may appear to come from a trusted and popular company, such as a leading business or financial institution. Apple and Microsoft are two of the companies most commonly used by cybercriminals to trick their victims. And in some cases, it is difficult to tell if the email is fake because it comes from a trusted but already compromised account or one that looks almost identical to the company in question.
Two other phishing techniques used are business email compromise and blackmail. In the case of blackmail, attackers usually have obtained some personal information, mainly from the victim's social media, and threaten to publish it unless the victim complies with a demand.
Business email compromise, on the other hand, is relatively uncommon but no less dangerous. In these cases, attackers pose as a high-ranking corporate executive to manipulate an unsuspecting colleague into sharing personal information or completing banking transactions.
Fortunately, there are some steps users can take to protect themselves from falling victim to similar attacks.
First of all, multi-factor authentication is one of the most important things you can do. Then using a password manager can be very helpful. In addition, you should always be careful with links or documents contained in your emails and do not open links that you are not sure can lead you. And finally, always be sure that you know where and why you are entering your login credentials.
