As society continues to adopt new technological software into everyday life, so too has criminal activity turned digital to steal personal information through phishing scams. Nowadays, people can easily block the more common email and whaling phishing methods without issue, but what about the less seen types of phishing scams? With so many new apps and files being adapted into the workplace, it’s important that your company stays up-to-date and aware of potential cybersecurity risks. To start, here are a few other types of phishing scams and the dangers they present to your information.
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Pop-up Phishing
Pop-up phishing scams typically appear as a pop-up window claiming an issue with your computer. Using scare tactics, the hackers try to trick victims into believing that malware has already infected the data. Panicked, users click the window to fix the issue only to be redirected to a download file or fake call center, giving hackers access to your information under the pretense of security.
Evil Twin Phishing
The Evil Twin method is a unique type of phishing where the hacker sets up a false Wi-Fi network under a similar existing network or free access point hoping that users will connect, like a Venus Flytrap waiting for its prey to land before trapping them. Once you connect to the Evil Twin network, all sensitive data shared while linked can be stolen and controlled by the attacker.
Watering Hole Phishing
Whereas most types of phishing targets individual users, the Watering Hole phishing scam instead tries to target a group of users by infecting a specific website they all use. For example, if your company has a chat portal or app that all employees must use, it could be a target for an attacker using this method. Attackers imbed viruses into these sites, infecting numerous computers at once while gaining access to an abundance of personal and professional information.
Clone Phishing
Like a type of email phishing, hackers using Clone Phishing to forge an identical copy of a legitimate message previously sent from an authorized organization or known sender. Slight details of the message may be changed, either asking you to resend sensitive information or connect to an attached link. By cloning the official email model, hackers can not only trick users into supplying personal information but create distrust in future emails from that sender.
Man-in-the-Middle (MTM) Phishing
Falling victim to the MTM phishing scam is quite insidious in its covert theft of information. Through this phishing, a hacker can intercept and even hijack a 2-way exchange between individuals, such as through chat, email, or phone call. As the “man-in-the-middle,” the third party can gather information or impersonate their victims through private messages while remaining undetected to either party. For an organization, this attack can damage clear communication between colleagues.
Image Phishing
Often sent through email scams, hackers use Image Phishing to embed spam or malicious data files into images. Just clicking on the image allows hackers to penetrate security by forcefully downloading malware onto your computer. Since the image holds the files rather than the email, detecting this type of phishing scam is difficult as embedded text can be too small or obscured to be noted by scanners. As a result, more attention and care should be paid when selecting images to avoid malware from violating your data.
Considering the variety of phishing scams there are online today, it’s paramount that businesses continue to learn and uphold their cybersecurity against hackers. To learn more, contact the Innovative Integration team today to secure your company.
