By understanding phishing tactics and embracing advanced threat monitoring, organizations can disrupt the cycle of phishing attacks, safeguarding both their brand and their customers from the ever-growing threat of cybercrime.
Phishing attacks remain a leading cybersecurity threat, increasing by 34% in 2024 compared to the previous year. With 91% of cyberattacks starting from phishing emails, these scams exploit human trust and emotion to steal credentials, deliver malware, or manipulate victims into financial or data losses. For organizations, phishing poses significant reputational, operational, and legal risks, especially when attackers impersonate trusted brands.
Key Phishing Attack Vectors
- Websites: Fake websites mimic legitimate businesses, tricking users into entering sensitive data.
- Social Media: Attackers exploit the casual nature of social platforms to impersonate brands or individuals.
- Mobile Apps: Malicious apps use excessive permissions to steal information or install malware.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC): Carefully crafted scams impersonate trusted individuals to manipulate victims.
Phishing Delivery and Exploitation
Attackers use reconnaissance to gather data on targets and create convincing bait, such as lookalike domains, emotional triggers, or authentic branding. Phishing attacks are delivered through email, SMS, social media, or phone calls, leading victims to malicious links or downloads. Stolen credentials and data are often monetized through identity theft, ransomware, or sales on the Dark Web.
Proactive Defense with Brand Monitoring and Threat Intelligence (CTI)
To combat brand impersonation, organizations must adopt proactive strategies, including:
- Monitoring newly registered and lookalike domains to detect and take down malicious websites.
- Tracking social media for brand impersonation or executive-targeted attacks.
- Monitoring app stores and platforms for fraudulent applications.
With advancements in generative AI making phishing attacks more cost-effective and scalable, organizations must move beyond traditional anti-phishing emails. By leveraging CTI tools and proactive monitoring, enterprises can detect threats early, block malicious activity across platforms, and limit the impact of phishing scams on their brand and customers.