Phishing emails are now being meticulously researched and concocted to target specific receivers. Given the quantity and severity of data breaches in recent years, phishers now have a plethora of material to draw on when polishing their writing, making it even more difficult to identify phishing emails and distinguish reality from fiction.
Because phishing attempts are becoming more sophisticated, technology is becoming more challenging to detect and stop email-borne dangers. On the other hand, phishing emails frequently include a variety of “hooks” that, if detected by the receiver, can prevent the assault from succeeding. Let’s look at some of the key warning signs of a phishing attack, so we can know what to be wary of.
An Unfamiliar Greeting or Tone
When reading a phishing letter, the first thing that frequently raises suspicion is that the wording isn't quite appropriate. For example, a coworker is suddenly overly friendly, or a family member is a bit more professional. For example, let’s say you have a regular third-party business partner, such as a supplier. After years of maintaining an ongoing relationship, you and this supplier are on friendly terms, and they start every email off with “Hi Mike!”. One day, you receive an email that seems to be from this same partner, but it starts with “Dear Sir,” which should immediately raise some red flags. If something about a message looks off, search for further signs that it may be a phishing email.
Errors in Grammar and Spelling
The use of improper language and spelling is one of the most typical indications of a phishing email. For outgoing emails, most organizations have the spell check option switched on in their email client. On most web browsers, you may also use autocorrect or highlight functions. As a result, you'd expect emails from a professional source to be devoid of mistakes in language and spelling.
An Incorrect Email Domain
Looking for differences in email addresses, URLs, and domain names is another simple method to spot a possible phishing attempt. It's important to double-checking originating email addresses against past communication, for example. If the email has a link, hover the pointer over the link to see what ‘pops up.' If the email purports to be from PayPal, but the link's domain does not include “paypal.com,” it's a dead giveaway. Don't click if the domain names don't match.
Suspicious Attachments And Links
When receiving an email with an attachment from an unknown sender, or when the receiver did not request or expect to receive a file from the sender, you should open it with caution. If the attached file contains a file extension that is often linked with malware downloads (.zip,.exe,.scr, etc.) – or if the file has an unexpected extension – recipients should flag it for virus scanning before opening it.
Spear Phishing in Los Angeles
Sometimes, phishing attacks aren't random but targeted at specific people; this is referred to as spear phishing. If you're worried that you or your business may be the target of spear phishing Los Angeles, contact iQvcloud today. iQvcloud’s state-of-the-art cyber security services can protect you and your business from spear phishing and other cyberattacks.
