Phishing – A Costly Threat to Cybersecurity
Phishing is when attackers lure people into sharing their information, usually by impersonating trusted individuals or companies. They often use a sense of urgency to provoke action, for example threatening account suspension or money loss. This can cause victims to click on a malicious link, enter their credentials into a fake website, or download an attachment that installs malware on their device. Attackers can then steal data or access their victim’s device, using it to access sensitive information and infect others.
Phishing is one of the most costly threats to cybersecurity. It only takes a single victim to initiate a data breach, and it’s the most prevalent cyberattack type, accounting for 4.9% of breaches in 2022. Attackers can use phishing to spoof email addresses, spoof company logos, and create emails that look like they were sent from your trusted contacts or colleagues.
Attackers can also use social media platforms and short messaging services to phish. These types of attacks are known as smishing and angler phishing. They can be broadcast to a large audience or aimed at specific individuals or teams. Angler phishing is especially effective at times when a business or organization is experiencing high activity, such as during a product launch or sales period.
To avoid phishing, employees should always check whether a message is authentic by verifying the sender or looking up any links before acting. They should also remember to never share their passwords with anyone and to use different passwords for each online account. In addition, they can report phishing attempts to their email providers or IT teams so that their colleagues do not fall victim.