Hackers’ most popular tactic, phishing, is a cyber assault tactic that is routinely used by hackers, and properly so! A single click can open a virtual Pandora’s box, resulting in financial losses or even ruined brand capital if not addressed immediately.
Phishing attacks are typically carried out through e-mails that appear to have been sent by a known source (family members, trusted institutions, or service providers). Even the most experienced can fall into the trap created by cybercriminals if they do not have prior training and do not pay attention to little things. The topics of these types of communications are designed to pique the recipient’s attention, prompting them to open the message, read it, and then take the steps outlined in the e-body mail by clicking on a specific link.
In some cases, the link is backed up or replaced by a form that the recipient of the message is encouraged to fill out with personal data (company network access data, personal account credentials, or even card details-including CVV/CVC on the back of the card) in order to gain access to what they want.
What are the steps to make sure that the received message is not a phishing attack?
STEP 1: Check the recipient’s name
The recipient’s name, whether it’s a person or an organization, is the first item you should pay attention to. If the message appears suspicious and the recipient’s name is abbreviated (which is extremely possible if the message is opened on a mobile device), it should raise suspicions. In such cases, it is generally advisable to open the email on a desktop or laptop to view the recipient’s entire name.
STEP 2: Check the recipient’s email address
After you’ve opened the email, the next step is to double-check the recipient’s email address. We have grounds to assume it is a phishing assault if it is non-personalized or has a domain other than the one provided in the institution’s name after the @ sign, or if the name before the @ sign does not match the recipient’s name.
As demonstrated in the graphic below, such email addresses frequently have names that are produced at random.
STEP 3: Emergency tone and browser access link (URL)
Another reason to be suspicious is the sense of urgency conveyed by the message’s format (filling out a form or hitting a button, immediate gain, promise of rapid gratification, etc.).
However, if you follow the link in the message and the user is redirected to a web page with a form, you should double-check the URL in the browser. There’s a significant probability it’s a phishing assault if it’s not linked to the name of the institution mentioned in the email’s body and instead refers to another company that collects data.
Summary
It is critical that all of us double-check the accuracy of the information provided and the source of those who send such messages.
For example, a hacker can check that a password given in a registration form can also be used for several personal accounts after discovering several of that person’s accounts in various ways. This type of information is frequently sold on the black market via the so-called “Dark Internet.”
The SafeTech Innovations team of professionals provides specialist training in this area to ensure that your organization’s data is safeguarded and that your workers are aware of social engineering techniques, such as phishing assaults.