DHL has surpassed Microsoft’s long-standing reign as the brand most frequently imitated by cybercriminals in attempts to steal credentials or deploy malware via sophisticated phishing techniques.
Twenty-three percent of all brand phishing attempts were related to DHL, up from just 9% in the previous quarter, according to Check Point Research’s latest Q4 brand phishing report.
Meanwhile, Microsoft only accounted for 20% of all phishing attempts in Q4 versus 29% in Q3. FedEx appeared in the top ten list for the first time in Q4 2021. Check Point Researchers concluded this as a direct result of threat actors trying to target vulnerable online shoppers through the holiday season as the pandemic remained a key concern.
WhatsApp came in third behind DHL and Microsoft in a global list of top targeted brands. The social messaging app, owned by Facebook, moved from 6th position to 3rd, representing 11% of all phishing attempts worldwide, according to Check Point Research.
Related: IT Is Losing The Phishing Fight
In a brand phishing attack, criminals will imitate the official website of a well-known brand by using a similar domain name or URL and web-page design to the genuine site. The link to the fake website can be sent to targeted individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected during web browsing, or it may be triggered from a fraudulent mobile application. The fake website often contains a form intended to steal users’ credentials, payment details or other personal information.
Below are the top brands ranked by their overall appearance in brand phishing attempts:
DHL (related to 23% of all phishing attacks globally)
Microsoft (20%)
WhatsApp (11%)
Google (10%)
LinkedIn (8%)
Amazon (4%)
FedEx (3%)
Roblox (3%)
Paypal (2%)
Apple (2%)
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