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The Rising Threat of Phishing: How Impress Computers Can Protect Your Business

In 2023, an alarming 94 percent of businesses were affected by phishing attacks, marking a 40 percent increase from the previous year, according to research from Egress.

What’s driving this surge in phishing attempts? One key factor is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) – particularly generative AI, which has made it significantly easier for cybercriminals to create convincing phishing content, such as malicious emails or, in more advanced scenarios, deepfake videos. AI also plays a role in developing the malware that attackers often deploy during phishing campaigns, infecting the computers and servers of unsuspecting victims.

Another reason for the increase is the emergence of Phishing as a Service (PhaaS). PhaaS allows malicious individuals to hire skilled attackers to carry out phishing campaigns on their behalf, making it easier than ever for anyone with malicious intent to launch sophisticated attacks.

Phishing Has Become More Agile

To truly understand the rise in phishing, it’s important to examine how cybercriminals are leveraging AI and PhaaS to operate more efficiently and adapt to new situations.

In the past, creating phishing content manually was time-consuming, making it difficult for attackers to quickly exploit unforeseen events. Without PhaaS solutions, launching a phishing campaign required substantial effort and resources. However, recent advancements suggest that these barriers are rapidly diminishing.

Phishing Attacks Targeting Evolving Events

Phishing schemes often exploit current events, taking advantage of the public’s reaction to these occurrences. This is particularly true when it comes to events that are still developing, such as the recent “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) incident involving CrowdStrike.

Phishing in the Wake of the CrowdStrike BSOD

On July 19, 2024, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike released a faulty update that caused Windows machines to fail during boot-up, leaving users staring at the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).

Although CrowdStrike quickly issued a fix, cybercriminals were swift to launch phishing campaigns targeting businesses and individuals searching for solutions to the problem. Within the first day of the incident, Cyberint detected 17 typo-squatting domains related to the issue. At least two of these domains were sharing a fake workaround fix, apparently as a way to solicit donations via PayPal. Further investigation traced the scam back to a software engineer named Aliaksandr Skuratovich, who even promoted the fake website on his LinkedIn page.

Impress Computers: Your Partner in Cybersecurity

At Impress Computers, we understand the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats like phishing. As businesses face an increasing number of sophisticated attacks, it’s crucial to stay one step ahead. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing comprehensive security solutions tailored to your needs, ensuring that your business is protected against the latest threats.

Don’t leave your cybersecurity to chance. Trust Impress Computers to safeguard your business against phishing attacks and other cyber threats. Contact us today to learn how we can help you stay secure in an ever-changing digital landscape.

 

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