Phishing and Other Cyberattacks
Phishing is one of the most common cyberattacks. Attackers use phishing to gain access to corporate networks and collect sensitive information. According to the 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, phishing was a top threat vector in 86% of the 3,950 breaches investigated.
Attackers use a variety of methods to perform phishing attacks. One of the most popular is spoofing emails from app or software vendors. This is known as spearphishing. Attackers can also use techniques such as DNS poisoning, pharming, and social engineering to target victims.
These attacks can occur via email, web applications or text messages. Often, attackers will use a sense of urgency and scare tactics to trick users into taking action, such as replying to an email claiming their account is compromised or clicking on a link to update their personal information online. Attackers also target users via phone, using voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to mimic a company or government agency and convince them to provide account credentials and other sensitive information.
A user’s ability to avoid phishing attacks depends on multiple factors, including their email security configuration and habits. Educating employees on how to recognize and report phishing attempts can help reduce the number of phishing attacks that reach their inboxes. Additionally, implementing best practices for email security can help protect an organization from phishing and other cyberattacks. This includes ensuring all software and firmware are up-to-date, enforcing strong password policies and deploying technologies like Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM). In addition, it is important to review privacy policies before providing information to any website, and think twice about posting personal information on social media.