Alarming Phishing Attack Trends to Beware of in 2022

Just one email can lead to a ransomware attack and costly downtime for a company. It might also trick employees into sharing their credentials, which hackers can then use to target customers.

A single fake or phishing message can put your business data at risk and make you vulnerable to hackers. If you ever get a message claiming to be from us that asks for payment before helping, do not trust it. We will never do that.

A single phishing email can compromise your company and lead to ongoing financial problems. Hackers may also use this chance to launch targeted attacks on your customers, which is now one of the biggest threats online.

The risk of being targeted by cybercriminals is real. Despite many efforts to stop them, these criminals remain one of the most serious threats on the internet today.

Mobile phishing threats rose by 161% in 2021.

To protect yourself from ongoing phishing threats, use these safeguards:

1. Email filtering

2. DNS filtering

3. Next-gen antivirus/anti-malware

4. Ongoing employee cybersecurity awareness training

Here are some recent phishing trends to watch in 2022.

Phishing Is Increasingly Being Sent via Text Message

To avoid phishing, be careful when opening emails that seem suspicious or unfamiliar. If you don’t know the sender or the email looks strange, don’t click any links.

People often trust text messages more than unexpected emails. Because we use our phones for so much, it’s easy to miss the risks of text-based phishing.

Cybercriminals are now using the easy access and low cost of mobile phone numbers to launch phishing attacks. These attacks, called “smishing,” have increased in recent months and years.

As more people use text messages, retailers and service businesses are sending updates about sales and deliveries by text.

It is easier for scammers because SMS messages can be made to look like they come from any person or company to get your attention.

Business Email Compromise Is on the Rise

Ransomware has been a growing threat for years, and it’s getting worse. A new type of attack is becoming more common and profitable for cybercriminals.

Business email compromise (BEC) is on the rise, and attackers use it to profit from scams like fake wire transfer requests and gift card schemes.

The risk with BEC is that employees or customers may be tricked into giving up sensitive information, such as passwords, when they think they are emailing their boss. These messages seem more authentic than those from unknown sources, making them effective for cybercriminals.

We all know our personal email accounts are important, but have you thought about the risks? If someone hacks your account, it can lead to security breaches, identity theft, or even physical harm.

Small Businesses Are Targeted More Often by Spear Phishing

While larger companies may worry more about being hacked, small businesses are not immune. These businesses often have fewer security measures and less IT staff, which can lead to bigger problems if they are attacked. Personal data can be stolen when you least expect it.

Data breaches often happen when employees exploit vulnerabilities, either by accident or on purpose. This is a serious problem, especially since 40% of small businesses become victims.

Spear phishing is a dangerous email scam because it targets specific people instead of sending generic messages. It has been used in attacks involving business email compromise (BEC).

The current trend is that spear phishing has become much more efficient and targeted. This type of cyber attack was once reserved for larger companies, but now any small or medium-sized business can be hacked by criminals with enough resources due to their quick set up timeframes (as opposed to taking days). Even state sponsored hackers will take advantage when they see an opportunity like this coming towards them!

Scammers are getting smarter and targeting smaller businesses with tailored attacks that are harder for users to spot as scams.

Initial Access Brokers Make Attacks More Effective

Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to make their attacks more profitable. They treat cybercrime like a business and keep working to improve their methods.

This is where the initial breach happens. An outside specialist, called an “initial access broker,” gets into your system and finds out what information hackers can access, making it easier for them to target valuable assets later.

As more of these experts are involved, phishing attacks have become even more dangerous and harder for users to detect.

Business Impersonation Is Used More Often

It’s no longer enough for attackers to impersonate someone in an email. Now, phishing attackers target business relationships. They use emails with logos and formatting that look like those from real companies, but these messages are not legitimate.

Smaller companies are sometimes easier targets for scammers because they have less security or staff. For example, last year a breach at one company affected over 40,000 customers when scammers pretended to be the company and tricked people into logging in, exposing their information.

Business impersonation in phishing attacks is a new tactic that means users need to be cautious with all emails, not just those from unknown senders.

Is Your Company Adequately Protected from Phishing Attacks?

The only thing standing between you and your company’s well-being is cybersecurity. If that doesn’t sound too appealing, we can help! Contact us for a multi-layered security audit so our team knows what needs improving in order to keep this up at all times