Surfing Safely:
Preventing Phishing in a Digital World
Learn how to spot online scams and how to defend against them to protect your personal data and that of your business.
With the exponential increase in phishing attacks, information is your first line of defense. Discover with 2source4 how you can turn your employees or colleagues into a bulwark against cyber threats through realistic simulations and targeted training. Prepare for phishing attacks with our tips and ensure the integrity of your corporate data. In this way, we want to make you aware of how phishing scams work and how quickly things can go wrong. With a few simple actions, your security can be seriously compromised.
Want to know how to better protect yourself from these tricks? Then read on.
Phishing is a form of online scam. Cybercriminals try to trick people into giving away sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details. The term “phishing” is a pun on the word “fishing”, as scammers “fish” for victims’ information.
If you recognise the right warning signs, you can effectively protect yourself from these threats. Stay tuned and learn how to see through phishing attempts!
The hard numbers
According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group’s (APWG) “Phishing Activity Trends Report”, the number of phishing attacks reached a record high in 2020, with more than 200,000 attacks reported in October that year.
IBM’s “2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report” revealed that globally, the average cost of a data breach is as high as US$4.24 million, with phishing being one of the common causes.
The financial sector is one of the sectors most affected by phishing. According to the APWG report, more than a third of phishing attacks in 2020 targeted financial institutions.
A 2015 survey conducted by CSID showed that a fifth of respondents had experienced a phishing attack. Of these, more than 40 per cent suffered financial losses as a result of the attack.
According to F5 Labs’ “2020 Phishing and Fraud Report”, compared to the previous year, there was a 37 per cent increase in phishing attacks on mobile devices and via social media.
The “Verizon 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report” highlighted that while a quarter of phishing attacks are detected within minutes, 40 per cent go undetected for weeks or even months.
Note
Grammatical and spelling errors
Clarification: Phishing emails often contain grammatical and spelling errors because they are written in haste or by non-native speakers.
Example: An email that says it is from your bank, but contains errors such as “Dear Castomer” or “Please confirm your accunt.”
Requests for personal information
Clarification: Reputable companies rarely if ever ask for sensitive information via e-mail.
Example: An e-mail asking you to provide your bank account information, your Social Security Number or your password.
Suspicious links
Clarification: Links in phishing emails may appear legitimate, but if you hover over them (without clicking), the actual URL is often different from what is displayed.
Example: A link in an email that appears to take you to your bank’s site, but the actual address is slightly different or oddly worded.
Coercive or threatening tone
Explanation: Scammers try to create a sense of urgency or fear. Thus, they try to induce you to act quickly.
Example: An email stating that your account will be closed or that there will be serious legal consequences if you do not act immediately.
Suspicious email addresses
Clarification: The sender’s e-mail address may appear legitimate at first glance, but often there are minor discrepancies or differences from the official address.
Example: An e-mail that appears to come from “support@jouw-bank.nl” appears on closer inspection to be from “support@your-baank.co.uk”.
Unsolicited attachments
Clarification: The sender’s e-mail address may appear legitimate at first glance, but often there are minor discrepancies or differences from the official address.
Example: An e-mail invites you to download an attachment to view an important document, such as an invoice or legal notice.
Here are some key steps to defending yourself effectively
A fun and interactive quiz where you can test how well you can spot phishing attempts.
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