0
0
Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the focus is no longer just on e-mail and SMS. A new study shows that fraudsters are also targeting other methods.
Phishing via search engines is on the rise
According to a new analysis by security company Netskope, the number of clicks on phishing links increased significantly in 2024. What is particularly worrying is that almost 20 percent of these clicks were made via search engines. There, attackers specifically use advertisements to place fake pages in the results. People searching for popular shopping portals or entertainment content are being directed to manipulated pages more frequently than before.
The good news is that users have become much more vigilant about email phishing. Netskope attributes this to company training and increased reporting on the subject. However, users’ awareness of phishing attacks in search results is still low.
In addition to traditional phishing links, so-called shadow IT also threatens company data security. According to Netskope, almost nine out of ten employees use private cloud applications at work—often without knowing it.
Automatic smartphone backups or the synchronization of calendars with private accounts can lead to sensitive company data ending up in insecure environments. Phishing attacks also target such personal apps and services.
Generative AI applications can further increase the risk, says Netskope. Although many companies block AI tools, some employees continue to use them. Therefore, some companies rely on training and protection mechanisms to better protect sensitive data.
- source: giga.de/picture: pixabay.com
This post has already been read 84 times!
