Email: The Achilles' Heel of Modern Security
Even though we strive to secure our websites and applications from all angles, it ultimately comes down to the person who uses them. And it is often the user who represents the "Achilles' heel" of even such a proven technology as email. Attacks on an application or website through human traits like curiosity or fear are technically called social hacking. The goal is to manipulate the user into giving the attacker access to the application or website, or sending them a financial amount.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is one of the most common forms of attack based on social hacking and psychological manipulation. During an attack, the attacker pretends to be a trustworthy institution – they might pose as a bank, a delivery service, or a platform like Netflix. They send out fraudulent emails and wait for a victim to click on the deceptive link. In this article, we will focus on email phishing.
How to Recognize Phishing?
Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, so it is important to watch for the following signs:
- Check the Email Address: If the domain after the "@" is suspicious or unofficial, it is likely phishing.
- Suspicious Links: Links lead to places other than the official institution's website. When you hover over the link, the destination will appear at the bottom left.
- Too Good to Be True Offers: An inheritance of $100 million or a miraculous weight loss method? Stay realistic.
- Threatening Emails: An email from a strange address threatening to cancel a service you have used for a long time? Be cautious.
- Strange Attachments: Do not open files like .exe or .bat at all.
- Requests for Personal Information: The attacker tries to create fear or curiosity to obtain your information.
What to Do with a Phishing Email?
Ignore it. The attacker is trying to get your attention and information. The best defense is to ignore such an email. Before deleting it, you can report it as SPAM or phishing.
If you are considering a new website, web, or mobile application, use our contacts. And don’t worry, we won’t mistake your email for phishing.
