Common Phishing Tactics, Cybersecurity Tip #12

Phishing attacks are a big problem, causing about 90% of data breaches¹. They work by tricking people into giving out sensitive info or installing malware¹. Companies that don’t stop phishing attacks can face big legal and financial problems¹.

To learn more about phishing tactics and how to protect against them, visit phishing protection strategies at https://drpsolutions.com/tips-and-tricks-of-the-week-12/. Discover the importance of teaching users and using special software in your phishing protection plan¹.

Key Takeaways

• Phishing attacks are a common and dangerous form of cyberattack that can be prevented with the right knowledge and strategies.
• Common phishing tactics include social engineering and spear phishing methods, as well as email-based phishing techniques.
• Approximately 90% of data breaches are caused by phishing attacks, highlighting the effectiveness of this tactic in cybercrime¹.
• Using public networks greatly increases the risk of phishing, as unencrypted communications enable attackers to intercept sensitive information¹.
• Implementation of Two-factor Authentication (2FA) can prevent unauthorized access even if the password is compromised, significantly enhances account security².
• Regular scans with updated antivirus software can identify and mitigate threats, but users often do not perform scans frequently enough to maintain optimal protection².

Understanding the Basics of Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks trick people into sharing sensitive info like passwords or financial details. They use fake emails or messages to do this. These scams can steal your data or install malware attachments³. A report by Proofpoint found that 83% of companies faced phishing in 2021³.

Phishing scams can target specific people or groups, making them more harmful. Spear phishing

Phishing can also include website spoofing, where fake sites look like real ones to steal info. The cost of a data breach, often starting with a phishing email, is $3.86 million⁴. To fight phishing, knowing the tricks and taking steps like using two-factor authentication is key.

Some common phishing tactics include:

• Creating a sense of urgency to prompt the victim into taking action
• Using legitimate-looking emails or websites to trick the victim into divulging sensitive information
• Using malware attachments to install malicious software on the victim’s device

Most Common Phishing Tactics in Today’s Digital Landscape

Phishing is a big problem in today’s online world, even with better security⁵. Most data breaches come from phishing, showing how big of a threat it is⁵. Phishing emails often scare you into acting fast, like saying your account will be suspended or you’ve won a prize⁵.

Email phishing is the top way attackers strike, with about 90% of attacks coming through email⁵. Deceptive links and email spoofing are common tricks used. Also, account takeover is getting worse, as hackers use phishing to get to your private info⁶.

Some common phishing tricks include:

• Urgent language to create a sense of urgency
• Deceptive links to trick users into revealing sensitive information
• Email spoofing to impersonate legitimate senders

The Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 Phishing Report found phishing attacks went up 58.2% from last year⁶. It’s key to know about these tactics and protect yourself. For more info on phishing and how to avoid it, check outthis website.

Email-Based Phishing Techniques

Phishing emails are a big threat to both people and companies. They are used in social engineering attacks to get sensitive info or make users do certain things. Phishing is behind 16% of all data breaches, making it the top breach vector⁷. The cost of phishing breaches for companies is $4.76 million, more than the average breach cost of $4.45 million⁷.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a phishing attack that targets businesses. It can cause big financial losses. BEC scams use fake sender addresses to trick employees into sending money to fake accounts⁸. Phishing emails also use urgency and pressure to get victims to act fast⁸. Knowing the signs of phishing, like requests for personal info or suspicious URLs, is key to avoiding these attacks⁹.

To fight phishing emails and social engineering attacks, we need strong security steps. This includes training and protecting against credential harvesting. By staying alert and taking action, we can lower the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks and keep our sensitive info safe⁷.

Social Engineering and Spear Phishing Methods

Social engineering attacks are behind about 90% of successful hacks and data breaches¹⁰. These attacks often use spear phishing, which targets specific people or companies. This makes them a bigger threat because they are more personal¹¹. Social engineering tricks people into sharing private info, making it key to teach employees about security¹⁰.

Common tactics include impersonation, pretexting, and quid pro quo attacks. For instance, in 2019, a deepfake scam hit a UK energy firm. The scammers pretended to be the CEO and stole about $243,000¹¹. It’s vital to know these tactics and have strong security in place.

Companies can fight social engineering and spear phishing by teaching employees to spot and report suspicious emails. They should learn to recognize phishing attempts, like those for Office 365 credentials¹¹. They should also learn how to check if requests are real. By doing this, businesses can lower their risk of falling prey to these attacks and keep their data safe.

Impersonation Techniques

Impersonation is a big part of social engineering attacks. Attackers pretend to be someone else to get people to trust them and share sensitive info or do certain actions¹⁰. They might fake sender addresses or use fake websites that look like real ones, like website spoofing¹¹.

Website Spoofing and Credential Harvesting

Website spoofing is when fake sites look like real ones to steal info or install malware¹². It often uses fake links and attachments to get sensitive data. Studies show it’s a big threat, with many ways to steal credentials, like MiTM attacks¹³.

To fight website spoofing and credential theft, knowing the risks is key. Be careful with links that seem off or you don’t know. Also, use strong passwords and two-factor auth to stop account takeovers¹².

Some important stats to remember:

• 75% of companies have faced phishing attacks in the last year¹².
• Phishing causes 90% of data breaches¹².
• Training employees is a first step against email spoofing and credential theft¹³.

By knowing the dangers and acting early, we can shield ourselves from website spoofing and credential theft. Stay alert to attackers’ tricks, like fake links and attachments. And, take steps to stop account takeovers¹².

Mobile Phishing and SMS-Based Attacks

Technology keeps getting better, and so do common phishing tactics. Now, they target mobile devices too. It’s key to know about phishing emails and social engineering on phones. In 2023, 75% of companies faced smishing attacks¹⁴. This shows we need to be more careful and protect ourselves better.

Smishing is when scammers send fake texts to trick people. It can cause big money losses and steal important info. With more people using phones, scammers use smishing a lot to trick users¹⁵. Knowing how scammers work and how to stop them is very important.

Some important facts to remember are:

• SMS click-through rates range from 8.9% to 14.5%¹⁴
• Bank impersonation makes up 10% of smishing messages¹⁴¹⁵
• About 100% of smishing messages aim to trick and fool people¹⁴

To learn more about avoiding common phishing tactics and social engineering, check out this resource. By understanding the dangers and taking steps to avoid them, we can all stay safer from mobile phishing and SMS scams.

Conclusion: Building Your Anti-Phishing Strategy

To stop phishing attacks, it’s key to train your team often. This helps them spot tricky phishing emails that tech can miss¹⁶. Training is vital to stop cyber threats like account takeover. A big fact is, 91% of cyberattacks start with a spear-phishing email¹⁷.

Teach your team to watch out for urgent emails, spelling errors, and odd greetings. These are signs of phishing. By doing this, you can lower the chance of falling victim to phishing attacks.

Having a strong anti-phishing plan is a must. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and email filters to catch phishing emails¹⁶. Also, keep your software up-to-date and back up your data to safe places¹⁶. For more tips, check out anti-phishing resources.

By following these steps, you can shield your business from phishing. Remember, keeping your cybersecurity training up is key to fighting phishing¹⁷. Together, we can make the internet safer for all¹⁸.

Source Links

1. Phishing Prevention Tips | How To Protect Yourself from Email Scams, Threats and Attacks – PhishProtection.com – https://www.phishprotection.com/content/phishing-prevention
2. Top 12 Cybersecurity Tips And Best Practices In 2023 – https://www.fca.edu.sg/blog/cybersecurity-tips-best-practices-2023/
3. Complete Guide to Phishing: Techniques & Mitigations – Valimail – https://www.valimail.com/resources/guides/guide-to-phishing/
4. What Is Phishing? – Definition, Types of Attacks & More | Proofpoint US – https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-reference/phishing
5. What is Phishing? Techniques and Prevention – https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/cybersecurity-101/social-engineering/phishing-attack/
6. Identifying Phishing Attacks: Common Types, Key Tactics, and Prevention Tips – https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/product-insights/identifying-phishing-attacks
7. Common Phishing Attacks and How to Protect Against Them – https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/6-common-phishing-attacks-and-how-to-protect-against-them
8. 19 Most Common Types of Phishing Attacks in 2025 | UpGuard – https://www.upguard.com/blog/types-of-phishing-attacks
9. 19 Types of Phishing Attacks with Examples | Fortinet – https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/types-of-phishing-attacks
10. 6 Types of Social Engineering Attacks and How to Prevent Them – https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/blog/types-of-social-engineering-attacks
11. Understanding Social Engineering Tactics: 8 Attacks to Watch Out For – https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/5-social-engineering-attacks-to-watch-out-for
12. What is Phishing? Attack Techniques & Prevention Tips – https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/phishing
13. Email Spoofing and Credential Harvesting – https://www.titanhq.com/phishing-protection/email-spoofing-credential-harvesting/
14. What Is Smishing (SMS Phishing)? | IBM – https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/smishing
15. What is Smishing (SMS Phishing)? Examples & Tactics – https://www.sentinelone.com/cybersecurity-101/cybersecurity/what-is-smishing/
16. Defending Against Phishing: Effective Strategies for Cybersecurity – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/defending-against-phishing-effective-strategies-cybersecurity-csjqc
17. Smell the Phish: 6 Anti-phishing best practices – https://www.goodaccess.com/blog/phishing-best-practices
18. Prevention and mitigation measures against phishing emails: a sequential schema model – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8478002/