How to Defend the Email Inbox

What does phishing catch?

Phishing catches your data.  One of their goals is to obtain your private, or sensitive information.  They do this by falsifying their identity, pretending to be someone you know, doing business with, or from a reputable, legitimate organization.  If they are successful, you may become another victim of identity theft.

Victims of phishing are also prime targets for malware and ransomware distribution.  This is done by inviting the victim to click a link or download a file, which can install malicious software on your computer.  To avoid being spoofed it’s always a good idea to verify the real sender. Defend your email inbox by:

1. Reviewing the email headers.
2. Read the FROM address associated with the organization: i.e. is the email from a Gmail account when the Subject states, they are from Microsoft?
3. Hovering over the link (for example) with your mouse and read the URL that link will take you to. Is the link really from paypal.com or some foreign address?
4. Call the organization and ask them if they sent an email.
5. Deleting the email if you’re in doubt.

SPAMMERS or email hackers are very successful, be proactive in defending your inbox.

The art of Spear Phishing

Spear phishing is a direct attack on an individual or on a group of people who work in the same organization, field, or industry.  This type of attack plays on the recipient’s character and level of trust.  This type of assault tries to trick the email recipient into performing an action, based on their “trust” for the sender. 

For example, the phisher sends an email to a group of office workers in the same organization from the “accounting department” with a request to review changes that affect their direct deposit account: The message may include a fake routing and checking account number, asking the victims to reply with okay if the information is correct or follow a link to change the information. Unknowingly some may never question this email and reply with their account numbers.

A whale of a story

Whaling is another type of spear phishing.  This type o attack involves email aimed at a big fish: such as the high-level executive, or the person who has access to payroll, or financials.

It is similar to spear phishing, as this type of attack is based on the misguided trust for the sender.  These types of emails require more time and patience on the email hacker’s end, as they need to collect information about the victim, and use this information to craft just the right targeted email so it seems legitimate.  

Tools of the trade for the phisher include Social Media accounts, company- posted profiles, public records, career history, a simple search of the victim’s name, and paid-for background reports.  Data breaches can reveal passwords, commonly sold on the dark web as is other personal and private information.