Phishing attack
Spear Phishing Email: A Dangerous Threat

Spear Phishing Email
Spear phishing emails, which appear to be from a trustworthy source like the CDE, target specific recipients with personalized communications. Malicious actors send these emails in an attempt to get your private information, including bank account details, passwords, and personal information. These emails may contain files containing malware, which could potentially infect your machine or network, or they may include links to fraudulent websites that mimic the appearance of a legitimate CDE website. If you receive such an email, report it right away to your IT department and avoid opening any files or clicking on any links.
Spear Phishing Email Example
Although the sender’s display name is “California Department of Education,” the From address has @icloud.com rather than @universaltechhub.com. Personalized information in the email body gives it a genuine appearance, and the warning that it would “expire after 24 hours,” a popular phishing technique, adds urgency. Furthermore, when you hover over the “CLICK HERE TO UPDATE…” button or link, the destination site URL does not contain cde.ca.gov.
Clicking the “CLICK HERE TO UPDATE…” button directs the user to the main page of the CDE’s public website. The webpage automatically displays a modal box that requests sensitive personal information.
But if the user looks at the information in the web browser’s address bar, they will see that the domain name ends in pantheonsite.io.
How Hackers Gather Data for Targeted Phishing Attacks
Cybercriminals may now more easily get information on their target without the need for specialized knowledge, thanks to the internet. Attackers monitor their target through internet research to ensure that their attack is well-timed and seems to be a blend of other emails.
Public Information
Organizations’ publicly available online data makes it simple to create a phishing email. Typically, organizations exchange and make financial information accessible through software, websites, or reports. Corporate websites and public relations papers also contain information on the organization’s structure (diagram, departments, etc.), demographics (size, turnover, etc.), and relationships (subsidiaries, third-party partners, etc.).
Third-Party Sites
Social engineers can also examine interactions with third parties to learn more about an organization’s objectives. Certain websites for charities may include details on the membership of executives or their funding sources. It may be necessary to request a limitation on the exposure of executives or businesses on their website.
Government Records
Government-maintained public records provide a wealth of identifying data. They often provide useful information about corporate and company records, albeit in a fragmented format. Combined, they make up a useful profile for attackers, especially when it comes to locating real estate or political affiliations.
People-Search Sites
People’s search engines, designed specifically to find information on individuals such as criminal records, online profiles, registered domains, online interests, or even blog entries, serve as another free source of information. The collection of all this data might provide attackers with valuable information. Most websites include an opt-out feature to stop it from happening. Since the individual may be re-added, it is crucial to check this every month.
Social Media Accounts
Social media users who often violate privacy policies and disclose excessive amounts of information make them a valuable source of information for attackers targeting CEOs. With this kind of private information, the attacker can create incredibly convincing and accurate emails. Because social engineers can gather information for spear-phishing quite easily, organizations must limit the quantity of information that is accessible online.
Related blogs:
Spear Phishing Examples: Protect Yourself
How do spear phishing attacks differ from standard phishing attacks
Image of Spear Phishing Email with Victims Employerad Link Example
Detecting Socially Engineered Phishing Emails
Spear phishing, which deliberately undermines confidence within an organization, is one of the harder attack types for a casual observer to detect. It is possible to prevent spear phishing emails before they even reach an inbox by implementing a specialized phishing response system.
There are several ways to spot phishing emails:
Examine the From field in the email closely. The names and domains used by spear phishers will resemble those of a reliable sender. Sometimes, spear phishers use minor misspellings that are difficult to notice immediately.
When emails seem urgent, be cautious. Review the email slowly if it seems menacing or makes you feel a little anxious. To encourage victims to click on harmful links and download malware without thinking twice about the email, attackers instill dread in them.
Watch out when you click on links. You can carefully construct phishing email links to appear authentic. Always double-check the sender, and use your mouse to examine the link carefully.
When in doubt, call the sender. If an IT specialist is unable to review the email, reach out to the purported sender using a confirmed phone number not included in the email signature. You may prevent a corporate breach with a single call.
How to Report a Phishing Email
If you have received or entered information into a phishing email, you can report it by following a few simple steps.
You can directly contact the FTC Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you received a text message in this manner, you can forward it to SPAM (7726).
You can then report the phishing attack by visiting http://ftc.gov/complaint.
Defending Against Spear Phishing Emails
Consistent use of phishing teaching and security planning is necessary to prevent phishing emails and minimize risk. Agari provides businesses with a phishing security system that uses artificial intelligence to recognize, rank, and eliminate inbound phishing attempts.
The following environment modifications might help against spear phishing attacks:
Inform and educate your employees. A company can implement a program of instructional phishing campaigns to significantly reduce the number of phishing emails opened. As a first line of protection when other security measures are in place, this aids employees in recognizing and reporting phishing emails.
Put two-factor authentication (2FA) into action. Two-factor authentication adds degree of security by combining login information with a tangible object, such as a smartphone or authenticator software. Enabling 2FA prevents the attacker from accessing the website, even if they open a phishing email and enter their credentials.
Tag emails that come from sources outside of your company. By configuring email server rules, you can mark emails from outside the firm with a warning. This makes phishing efforts easier for personnel to spot, even in well-written emails.
Top spear phishing email solution
Many anti-phishing solutions are the best option for safeguarding your staff against phishing emails. It offers advanced virus and spam protection in addition to continually scanning emails. It automatically screens emails for fraud, both inbound and outbound.
We combine artificial intelligence, computer vision, and advanced machine learning with continuously updated algorithms to stop even the most advanced spear phishing attacks in cybersecurity that bypass all other systems.
Read more:
4 Red Flags for Spear Phishing Email
The Email Subject
Researchers have found that even though users are receiving more complex phishing emails these days, attackers are using specific subject lines more frequently. The identical list of just 50 topic variants was present in over 60% of the emails the researchers examined. These topic lines seek to evoke in readers a sense of familiarity, urgency, or interest.
Spear Phishing by Barracuda Networks <a href=”https://www.barracuda.com/spear-phishing-report” target=”_blank> The top five topic phrases, according to the research, are “Request” (36%), “Follow up” (14%), “Urgent/Important” (12%), “Are you available?” (10%), and “Payment Status” (5%). This is a href=”https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/top-12-phishing-email-subject-lines/” target=”_blank> Users are familiar with all of these and feel obligated to follow instructions.
By using “Re:” or “Fwd:,” certain communications are meant to look as though they were sent during a prior conversation.
Subject lines can vary depending on the country; for example, CEO fraud emails aimed at the US and the UK usually bear the label “Important,” whereas business jargon in Spain, France, and Germany is more specific to their respective languages.
The email sender and address.
Investigate the email’s sender and email address as the next clue. The most common danger, according to Great Horn’s report, is impersonation, which makes up 45% of spear-phishing emails. Using a high-level executive’s name is part of the Business Email Compromise (BEC) tactic.
In 2018 alone, BEC caused $1.3 billion in lost income, according to the FBI’s most recent report on Internet crime. The daily average of BEC has increased by 50% from 2018 to 2019. The two countries that BEC attackers target the most are the US (39%) and the UK (26%).
One of the most popular spear-phishing techniques involves impersonating an organization by using its domain. Establishing fake domain names that appear authentic at first sight or building websites that accurately mimic the organizations is often how this is accomplished.
Cisco researchers report a 64% surge in new domain launches since January 2019, with an unknown percentage of these domains created with the intention of misleading people. Although every domain name needs to be unique, there are several ways to make addresses that seem the same.
To illustrate the difficulty of spotting spoof domains, Phia Bennin, a producer at Gimlet Media, chose to experiment. Bennin recruited an ethical hacker to assist in this experiment to phish staff members.
The sender sent the phishing email under the guise of Bennin, using the domain name “gimletrnedia.com” and spelling it r-n-e-d-i-a instead of m-e-d-i-a. This successfully deceived a significant number of employees, demonstrating the ease with which users can exploit this technique.
Links and attachments.
Over 50% of phishing emails contain malware URLs. Typically manifested as executable (.exe) files, malware URLs can conceal themselves behind recognizable file formats such as Word, Excel, or PDF documents.
Attackers continue to employ archives, like .zip files, the most, accounting for over one-third of all attachments (CISCO researchers, Email Security Threat Report). A .txt file is the only file format that remains safe and is unable to conceal .exe files. You may check the legitimacy of the address and determine whether the URL’s domain refers to a malicious email by moving your mouse pointer over the “from” address, which typically includes changes like extra letters or digits.
Security researchers at Mimecast have uncovered a new phishing technique that leverages an attachment of the SHTML file type, commonly used by web servers. The attack’s “bill” tricked the user into clicking on the link, leading to a malicious website that requested private information.
The primary targets of this spear phishing attack were the higher education, banking and accounting industries. According to a June 2019 analysis by Mimecast, for every 69 emails sent, an employee on average got a malicious URL. To evade detection by security software, these latest phishing efforts might even use graphics in place of words.
The message content
Target-oriented attackers can easily create a phishing email using the large quantity of publicly available information, most of which is available online. Using this information, target-oriented attackers craft complex emails that are difficult to spot. To systematically get sensitive information, some attackers will employ the “long-game” tactic, which entails developing a connection with the victim.
This technique allows the attacker to deliver a malicious link or file without raising suspicions, as it considers the previous conversation and the crucial data collected. By recognizing these signs, you may protect your company from the consequences of a cyberattack, which include financial loss, loss of private information and data, reputational harm, and service interruption.
We’ll see how critical it is to identify an attack and take the appropriate action to safeguard your business in the last installment of this blog series.
Protecting your clients from spear phishing email attacks is crucial.
Protecting your clients from email attacks requires educating them about spear phishing definition. When your customers’ users reply to spear phishing emails, you should provide a solution that offers on-the-fly training in addition to security awareness training so that they are aware of and learn from their errors right away.
When it comes to phishing crimes, today’s email security solutions have improved, yet the majority still fall short when it comes to spear phishing defense. Spear phishing emails are difficult to identify due to their unique nature, which includes the absence of URLs and attachments.
Vade for Office 365 analyzes the context, content, and origin of emails using machine learning models. We continuously train the models with fresh data to stay up-to-date with the latest threats. They receive training to identify abusive language, spear phishing-specific behaviors, and email spoofing.
Final Thoughts
Spear phishing emails are highly targeted attacks designed to deceive recipients into revealing sensitive information. By understanding the tactics employed by cybercriminals and implementing robust security measures, individuals and organizations can effectively protect themselves from these malicious attacks. Staying vigilant, being cautious of suspicious emails, and keeping software updated are essential steps to safeguard against spear phishing threats.

-
Cybersecurity11 months ago
iOS App Development Company: Your Door to Latest Tools for App Development
-
Cybersecurity11 months ago
Why Should Companies Outsource Cyber Security Functions?
-
Cloud Computing & IT Services10 months ago
How to Choose the Right VPS Hosting in Germany for Forex Trading
-
Deepfake attack10 months ago
AI-Driven Transformations How Deepfakes Will Reshape Marketing in 2024
-
Phishing attack2 months ago
What is Spear Phishing and How You Can Identify This Scam?
-
Emerging Technologies10 months ago
Empowering Your Digital Strategy With Chatbots
-
Fintech10 months ago
How Do You Develop an Admin Panel for the Delivery Everything App?
-
Social engineering attack3 months ago
Baiting Attacks Explained: A Closer Look at Cyber Threat Tactics