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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Phishing Simulation Training: From Strategy To Execution

Human beings are without doubt the single biggest cybersecurity threat to organizations. About two-thirds of breaches stem from a simple, non-malicious user action such as an interaction with a phishing email. Users can also be an organization’s strongest security asset. Not only can human intuition and critical thinking prevent attackers from infiltrating, they also help detect an attacker’s presence post-compromise

While cybersecurity training and awareness initiatives can lower human risk within organizations, conventional training methods may fall short, particularly when they are viewed as mere check-box exercises that provide only theoretical understanding. In contrast, phishing simulation training offers a more direct learning experience whereby security teams engage employees by testing them with real-life phishing schemes, allowing them to interact with security threats in a safe environment. 

Phishing Simulation Training Strategy

Phishing simulation is crucial to any organization’s cybersecurity efforts for the following reasons:

1.It focuses on behavior over knowledge: While having security knowledge is good, its effectiveness is limited if individuals are unable to respond appropriately in real-life scenarios. Regular exposure to phishing attacks helps employees develop the instincts and reflexes necessary for proactive detection and reporting of cyber threats.

2.It identifies weaknesses: Certain employees may be more susceptible to phishing attacks than others. For example, about 6% of repeat clickers are responsible for about 30% of security failures. Identifying such people and offering them personalized coaching will be important in boosting human defenses. The repeat failing of phishing tests is a clear indicator that more help and practice are needed. 

3.It helps measure human risk and exposure: It’s important to track and monitor the level of human risk and resilience in the organization. By analyzing phishing simulation trends over time, business leaders can gain insight into training effectiveness, security performance, susceptibility to phishing attacks, and the prevailing security culture. These insights can be used to establish measurable goals and identify behaviors that require attention.

How To Execute An Effective Phishing Simulation Program

Phishing simulation training isn’t a one-off exercise but a continuous process of education, assessment, and adaptation. Let’s explore the main steps involved in establishing an effective phishing simulation program.

Identify Your Current State: Prior to implementing your program, identify current security behaviors among employees and their social engineering susceptibility. These insights will serve as the foundation of your program. Run employee surveys, track results of phishing emails over time (for example, how many phishing emails are reported on average), and analyze user behavior data from security tools.

Set Measurable Goals: Once base-line data is drawn and priorities are identified, set some clear goals and develop an action plan to achieve those goals. Goals can be things like – a reduction in phish-prone percentage by X%, a reduction in phishing attacks by Y% and an increase in the number of phishing attempts being reported by Z%.

Segment Your Audience: As mentioned earlier, some employees may be more gullible to phishing and social engineering scams than others. Some departments might be at a higher risk of online scams (for example: customer support or finance departments). It’s important to segment such audiences so that security teams can monitor their progress and offer a more tailored approach with training. 

Develop Authentic Scenarios: Phishing attacks must be as realistic and as relevant as possible. Mimic well-known brands and domains, design tailored campaigns to address specific audiences and real-world scenarios. Examples include an MFA fatigue attack, scenarios like business email compromise (BEC) and vendor email compromise; smishing and vishing attacks. 

Deploy Simulations In A Phased Manner: Rather than running simulations on your entire employee base, try rolling out campaigns in a phased approach. That way, training administrators can get a better handle on their audience (i.e., their level of security maturity), allowing them the opportunity to refine their approach and content as they see fit.

Share Results with Employees: By sharing feedback post simulation, one can reinforce learnings and best practices. Be supportive and empathetic towards individuals that failed the test. The objective of phishing simulation is to make users/employees feel empowered and confident about practicing security, not to demotivate or reprimand.

Keep Refining And Fine-Tuning: Once you have gained some experience in running simulation campaigns, it’s important to get an understanding of what is working and what is not working, which audiences and departments are vulnerable, who needs more hands-on training, etc. It’s also important to refine simulations based on the evolving threat and business landscape.

To summarize, phishing simulation must not be viewed as a tool but a core ingredient of cybersecurity strategy. With the right approach and commitment to phishing simulation training, organizations can significantly minimize human error, foster a healthy cybersecurity culture and architect a more resilient organization over time.

 

The post Phishing Simulation Training: From Strategy To Execution appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.


November 20, 2024 at 11:05AM

2024 Arctic Wolf Security Report: Key insights and trends

Businesses are facing increasingly sophisticated threats from ransomware groups, hacktivists, and individual attackers. The 2024 Arctic Wolf Security Operations Report sheds light on the key trends shaping the modern threat environment and provides actionable insights for businesses to enhance their cybersecurity postures.

Troye technical director Kurt Goodall says one of the dominant themes in this year’s report is the evolving nature of cyber threats. “Despite the rapid advances in technology, tried-and-true methods like social engineering and exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities remain incredibly effective.”

“In fact, Arctic Wolf’s observations indicate that exploitation of known vulnerabilities with available patches outnumber the exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities by 7.5 times,” he adds.

Furthermore, the report highlights a disturbing trend of increased phishing activity, with a notable 500% spike observed in just one month. Attackers continue to exploit world events, political upheavals, and natural disasters to lure unsuspecting victims. In April 2024 alone, phishing attempts surged by 150%, coinciding with major political announcements and occurrences as well as ongoing conflicts Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts.

In addition, Arctic Wolf’s 2024 SOC report highlights the critical need for 24×7 security operations, with 45% of the security alerts issued by their SOC being generated outside of regular working hours and 20% occurring on weekends.

Identity: The emerging battleground

Identity and access management (IAM) telemetry has emerged as the most common source of early threat detection, responsible for seven of the top 10 indicators of compromise leading to security investigations by the Arctic Wolf SOC.

Unauthorised credential usage and account takeovers (ATOs) remain a significant concern, with infostealers like the Win32.Zbot trojan appearing in over 2,000 weekly instances. These findings underscore the need for businesses to implement robust IAM systems and continuous monitoring to mitigate identity-based attacks.

Manufacturers under siege

Goodall says manufacturers are increasingly becoming targets of cyber espionage and intellectual property theft. “More than 26% of alerts in this year’s report were related to threats targeting manufacturers, a staggering 2.6x higher than expected. This finding aligns with growing concerns about industrial espionage, particularly as certain countries push for industrial modernisation.”

Ransomware: A persistent threat

Despite law enforcement takedowns and growing distrust between ransomware groups, ransomware remains a major threat. Arctic Wolf Security Engineers responded to 158 ransomware attempts between May 2023 and April 2024.

Arctic Wolf notes that, “an effective SecOps function dramatically reduces the risk posed by ransomware.” Highlighting the importance of monitoring ransomware precursors such as initial access to the environment, the establishment of persistence, and the reconnaissance and exfiltration of data as a way to disrupt the attack chain of a ransomware attack.

The importance of vulnerability remediation

One of the simplest and most effective ways to mitigate cyber risk is through vulnerability remediation. Attackers continue to exploit core business applications like Windows 10, MS Outlook, and Cisco IOS, with many vulnerabilities remaining unpatched for months or even years. Organisations are urged to prioritise remediation efforts, as known vulnerabilities outnumber zero-day threats by 7.5 to 1.

The 2024 Security Operations Report emphasises the critical importance of around-the-clock monitoring and a robust SecOps strategy. Organisations that can effectively operationalise their cybersecurity investments, respond swiftly to alerts, and build resilience through vulnerability management and identity protection will be far better equipped to defend against modern cyber threats.

“As the report states, effective security operations is your best defence against today’s financially motivated attacks and government-backed espionage. For organisations seeking to safeguard their digital infrastructure, the report offers a comprehensive view of the threats they face and practical solutions to reduce cyber risk,” he concludes.

 

 

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November 20, 2024 at 10:49AM

Gmail to start Shielded Email Service for SPAM

In recent years, online users have increasingly found themselves the target of spam emails. These unwanted messages flood inboxes after personal email addresses are shared with or sold to marketing and sales firms. While many email service providers, such as Gmail, offer spam filters to protect users, digital marketers are constantly evolving new methods to bypass these defenses.

To combat this growing issue, Gmail, the email service provided by Alphabet Inc., is taking a significant step forward with the introduction of a new feature designed to prevent spam and protect users’ privacy. This feature, dubbed “Shielded Email Service,” aims to allow users to create temporary email addresses for use during sign-ups or online interactions, thereby minimizing the risks associated with sharing a personal email address.

The concept behind the Shielded Email Service is straightforward yet highly effective. Users will be able to generate a temporary email address that they can use for short-term purposes, such as signing up for websites, apps, or online stores. These temporary addresses will be valid for a set period, ranging from as short as 10 minutes to as long as 24 hours, depending on the user’s needs.

The real benefit of this feature lies in its customization options. For instance, when signing up for a shopping website or an online service, users can generate a temporary email address that hides their primary email, reducing the likelihood of their real address being exposed to unwanted parties. This temporary email can be discarded after the task is completed, leaving the user’s primary address safe from spam or marketing overload.

Another key advantage of the Shielded Email Service is that important emails sent to the temporary address will still be forwarded to the user’s primary inbox. This feature ensures that critical communications are not missed, while also keeping the user’s personal email address secure from spammy or unsolicited messages. Essentially, this strikes a balance between convenience and privacy.

While the Shielded Email Service offers a promising solution to the spam problem, it may not entirely eliminate the risks of unwanted emails in the long run. Over time, marketers and spammers are likely to adapt and find ways to bypass such protections. Therefore, for users seeking more comprehensive and long-term protection, manually refining spam filters and customizing keyword blocklists could still be a more effective strategy for managing unwanted content.

In addition to the rollout of the Shielded Email Service, Gmail users are being alerted about new data storage policies. Google is notifying its users about storage limits and is encouraging them to opt for premium plans in order to enjoy unlimited storage or up to 1TB of storage space. This change means that Gmail users will no longer need to worry about deleting important files, photos, videos, attachments, or backups from their cloud storage. Instead, they can opt for a premium storage plan, ensuring that their digital memories and data are safely stored without the fear of running out of space.

In conclusion, Gmail’s new Shielded Email Service provides a smart and timely solution to the rising problem of spam, offering users greater control over their online privacy and interactions. However, users seeking the most robust protection against unwanted emails may still find value in refining their spam filters manually. Meanwhile, Google’s emphasis on expanding storage options reflects its ongoing commitment to enhancing user experience and accommodating the growing digital storage needs of its vast user base.

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November 19, 2024 at 08:37PM

How Data Breaches Erode Trust and What Companies Can Do

Data breaches can be expensive. The average ransomware attack costs organisations about $47,000, according to the 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, and it can even soar into the millions. Business email compromise (BEC) attacks often target executives with valuable company information. The average amount lost is over $50,000 but ransomware can exact a much greater financial toll. The biggest cost of all, however, may be the reputational damage caused by a data breach.

The price of reputational damage

It’s easier to pinpoint the financial cost of data breaches. There’s the money threat actors are able to extort from an organisation, and then there’s the number of IT personnel hours applied to responding to incidents and containing breaches. The reputational damage a data breach causes is harder to quantify, though that doesn’t make it any less real.

A data breach can prompt customers to lose trust in an organisation, compelling them to take their business to a competitor whose reputation remains intact. A breach can discourage partners from continuing their relationship with a company since partners and vendors often share each other’s data, which may now be perceived as an elevated risk not worth taking. Reputational damage can devalue publicly traded companies and scupper a funding round for a private company. The financial cost of reputational damage may not be immediately apparent, but its consequences can reverberate for months and even years.

Industries dependent on trust 

All organisations rely on their reputation and the trust they cultivate, but trust is more important in some industries than others.

Finance

Consumer confidence, a form of trust, is a leading economic indicator that influences the direction of financial markets and the valuation of individual companies. How consumers perceive the economy actually has an economic impact. The subprime mortgage crisis may have been the financial mechanism that led to the Great Recession of 2008, but it was plummeting consumer sentiment that eventually tipped the global economy over the edge.

Financially motivated threat actors target the financial sector for obvious reasons: there’s ample money to be extorted. In EMEA, ransomware is one of the most common and lucrative attack patterns for cybercriminals. Because there’s more money in the pot, so to speak, hackers are more likely to use more sophisticated and labour-intensive attack patterns, which explains why system intrusion became the number one attack pattern in the finance industry this past year.

Healthcare

The digitisation of healthcare, characterised by the integration of electronic health records (EHRs) and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), has transformed the healthcare landscape, bringing both opportunities and cybersecurity threats. This shift toward a more connected and data-driven approach enables enhanced patient care and operational efficiency but simultaneously exposes sensitive personal health information to potential cyberattacks.

Due to the sensitive nature of personal health data, healthcare organizations become lucrative targets for cybercriminals. A data breach in the healthcare sector could severely compromise patient privacy and security, leading to the exposure of protected health information (PHI) and posing a significant liability for organizations. Therefore, safeguarding healthcare cybersecurity has become paramount to protect patient information and ensure the integrity of the healthcare system.

Healthcare organisations are responsible for holding some of the most sensitive data there is – patient records. The leaking of medical records and other confidential patient information can wreak havoc on the reputation of a hospital or other healthcare facility, as patients depend on these institutions for safety and discretion. 

Hackers sometimes attack healthcare facilities by targeting medical equipment, like infusion pumps they can render inoperable for the purpose of demanding a ransom, which would have a massive impact on a hospital’s reputation (especially if it resulted in the harm of one of its patients). Compromised data is often not the fruits of an external hacker’s labour, however. Medical information is often misplaced through the actions of an internal actor, who is more often than not a non-malicious agent. Misdelivery is a common cause of data breaches in the healthcare sector according to the 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report. To mitigate such risk  Data Loss Prevention tools (DLP) controls can be implemented to monitor outgoing emails for sensitive information and can alert or block emails being sent to unintended recipients.

Having recognized those challenges, Verizon enhanced cybersecurity for a large hospital system by unifying its network with Secure Cloud Interconnect and centralizing access controls. This approach improved global connectivity and security, allowing clinicians to secure access to necessary information and boost operational efficiency. The hospital system saw increased productivity and a better patient experience with consistent and reliable Wi-Fi services.

Retail

Retailers that suffer data breaches risk losing their customers to competitors. In this era of digital convenience, it’s just too easy for consumers to take their business elsewhere; and if their customers have PCI data or credentials compromised, there’s a good chance they will.

Incidentally, stolen credentials surpassed payment card information as the data most commonly compromised in the retail industry this past year. Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks remain a big threat in retail, a threat that is amplified seasonally, as with Christmas and the end-of-year holiday season. Retailers can’t afford to have systems down during this time of year, which also makes them more susceptible to ransomware attacks. 

How organisations can defend themselves

In order to optimise cybersecurity efforts, organisations must consider the vulnerabilities particular to them and their industry. For example, financial institutions, often the target of more involved patterns like system intrusion, must invest in advanced perimeter security and threat detection. With internal actors factoring so heavily in healthcare, hospitals must prioritise cybersecurity training and stricter access controls. Major retailers that can’t afford extended downtime from a DoS attack must have contingency plans in place, including disaster recovery. 

These measures won’t eliminate the threat, but the truth is no business is entirely free of the risk of a data breach, but they can mitigate the risk, augment their security efforts, and reduce the potential points of entry by focusing their attention on the risks most likely to affect them. Their reputation is on the line, after all, and that may be the biggest compromise of them all.

Verizon advocates for the adoption of CTEM (Continuous Threat Exposure Management) as a cyclical program designed to prioritize potential countermeasures and enhance security posture on an ongoing basis. Through this approach, organizations have demonstrated a reduction in the time required to identify and address incidents. This is achieved by leveraging valuable insights obtained through the CTEM program and integrating them with the Security Operations Center (SOC) for improved treatment strategies.

 

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November 19, 2024 at 12:17PM

Monday, November 18, 2024

Consequences of Bowing Down to Hackers in Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks have become one of the most dangerous cybersecurity threats in recent years. As cybercriminals increasingly target individuals, businesses, and even government organizations, the choice of whether or not to pay the ransom has become a contentious issue. In many cases, victims of ransomware attacks are faced with a difficult decision: to pay the ransom and hope their data is restored, or to refuse and risk losing access to vital information. While paying the ransom might seem like a quick solution, doing so can have serious consequences.

Here’s a closer look at the potential repercussions of giving in to ransomware demands and why experts warn against it:

1. Funding Cybercrime and Encouraging More Attacks

Paying a ransom directly fuels the cybercriminal ecosystem. Hackers rely on successful attacks to fund their operations, develop more sophisticated malware, and continue their malicious activities. By agreeing to pay, organizations essentially encourage attackers to continue targeting others, knowing they will be rewarded for their efforts. Ransom payments also make it more likely that the organization will be targeted again in the future, or even worse, that the same group of hackers might attack more critical infrastructure with higher stakes.

2. No Guarantee of Data Recovery

One of the biggest risks of paying a ransom is the lack of guarantees. Even if the ransom is paid, there is no assurance that the attackers will restore the encrypted data. In many cases, victims may never regain access to their files or systems, or they might receive corrupted data that is unusable. Hackers may also decide to target the same victim again, knowing that the organization is willing to pay. This uncertainty leaves businesses vulnerable to repeated attacks and can cause long-term operational disruptions.

3. Legal and Regulatory Consequences

In certain industries, particularly those dealing with sensitive data such as healthcare, finance, and government, paying a ransom can lead to serious legal consequences. Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly scrutinizing organizations that pay ransoms, as such payments can be seen as enabling criminal activity. For example, in the U.S., the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) can impose penalties on organizations that pay ransoms to cybercriminal groups associated with sanctioned entities or countries. These penalties can be hefty, and companies may find themselves facing both legal and financial repercussions if they pay with-out considering the broader implications.

4. Loss of Trust and Reputation Damage

Paying the ransom can also damage a company’s reputation. Customers, clients, and stakeholders may lose trust in an organization that appears unable to protect its data or prevent cyberattacks. If news of the ransom payment becomes public, the organization may be perceived as weak or ill-prepared for cyber threats, leading to a decline in business and potential loss of con-tracts. In highly competitive industries, reputation damage can be an existential threat. Customers may take their business elsewhere if they feel that the organization is not taking sufficient steps to protect their personal information.

5. Financial Costs Beyond the Ransom

Even if an organization decides to pay the ransom, the financial costs don’t end there. The total expense of a ransomware attack includes the ransom payment itself, but also the cost of recovering from the attack. This could involve rebuilding systems, restoring backups, implementing enhanced security measures, and dealing with lost productivity. According to a 2021 report from Emsisoft, the total cost of recovery from a ransomware attack can be many times the ransom itself, particularly when considering reputational damage and long-term business disruption. The overall financial toll can be devastating, especially for smaller businesses that may not have the resources to weather such a crisis.

6. Risk of Further Exposure and Data Leaks

In many cases, hackers don’t just encrypt data—they steal it as well. If a ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that the stolen data will not be leaked or sold on the dark web. Cybercriminals may threaten to release sensitive information, such as customer data, intellectual property, or classified government documents, unless they receive additional payments. In addition to the financial impact, this can lead to significant breaches of privacy, identity theft, or espionage. In extreme cases, leaked data can lead to criminal investigations, lawsuits, and government penal-ties for failing to protect sensitive information.

7. Encouraging a Cycle of Extortion

Another critical concern is that paying the ransom can create a vicious cycle of extortion. As cybercriminals recognize that paying victims is an effective way to earn money, they may continue to develop new, more sophisticated strains of ransomware. With each successful attack, the hackers learn and adapt, using more targeted tactics to compromise high-value systems. This can lead to a broader range of targets, including critical infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and government agencies, putting entire sectors at risk.

8. Undermining Cybersecurity Defenses

When companies give in to ransomware demands, they may inadvertently undermine their own cybersecurity initiatives. Instead of focusing on strengthening security measures and improving defenses, organizations may be more likely to rely on the idea that paying a ransom is a quick fix. This can lead to complacency, with businesses failing to implement necessary protections, such as regular backups, employee training, or updated security protocols. Ultimately, this weakens the organization’s overall cybersecurity posture and makes it more susceptible to future attacks.

The Better Approach: Prevention and Preparation

Given these significant risks, experts generally recommend that businesses and individuals do not pay ransomware demands. The focus should instead be on proactive prevention, preparation, and incident response planning. Regularly updating and patching systems, educating employees on phishing and cybersecurity best practices, and maintaining secure and redundant backups are essential steps to mitigate the risks of ransomware attacks.

In the event of a ransomware incident, organizations should contact cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement agencies for assistance in recovering their data and mitigating the impact of the attack. Many organizations can also work with data recovery experts or cybersecurity firms to help restore encrypted files without paying a ransom.

Conclusion

While paying a ransom may seem like the easiest way out of a ransomware attack, the long-term consequences often outweigh the immediate relief it might provide. Funding cybercriminals, facing potential legal and financial penalties, and risking further data exposure are just a few of the serious risks associated with compliance. Instead, organizations should focus on strengthening their cybersecurity defenses, investing in prevention, and preparing a robust incident response plan to avoid falling victim to ransomware in the first place. Ultimately, resisting the temptation to pay is not only a smarter move—it is a critical step toward breaking the cycle of cybercrime.

The post Consequences of Bowing Down to Hackers in Ransomware Attacks appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.


November 19, 2024 at 11:22AM

Snail Mail Cyber Attacks hit Android users and 23andme data security concerns

Snail Mail Cyberattacks Raise Alarm Among Android Users

The term “Snail Mail” typically refers to traditional physical mail, which is slower than its digital counterpart, email. However, this outdated method of communication is now being exploited by cybercriminals to spread malware to Android users. This new threat was recently highlighted by the Swiss National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), which issued a warning to the public about the growing danger.

According to reports, the attack involves fake physical letters that appear to promote the “MeteoSwiss” app, an official app designed to alert users of natural disasters. Instead of a legitimate app, however, the attackers have created a counterfeit version that includes a QR code. When scanned, the QR code leads to a malware download, targeting Android smartphones.

The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection also warned about this scam, revealing that the fake app mimics the Alert-Swiss app. The malware, identified as “Coper,” is capable of stealing sensitive information, such as banking credentials, and transmitting it to foreign servers. Experts strongly advise users never to scan QR codes from unsolicited physical mail or click on links that might lead to malicious websites.

23andMe Data Breach Raises Security Concerns and Potential Bankruptcy Fears

Genetic testing company 23andMe is under fire after revealing that the personal data of over 6.4 million customers may have been compromised in a cyberattack. The company, which has been facing rumors of impending bankruptcy, has sparked further concern among users about the safety of their sensitive information, especially if it were to be sold to third parties.

In its privacy policy, 23andMe has warned that in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or a merger, the company could potentially sell or share user data, including genetic information. This has left many customers anxious about their privacy and the fate of their data if the company folds or is sold.

Adding to the controversy, 23andMe announced that it would compensate qualifying customers with $10,000, provided they can prove they suffered hardship as a result of the breach. The company disclosed in April 2023 that more than half of its user base—around 14 million people—was affected by the breach, with some customers claiming their data was found for sale on the dark web. As a result, 23andMe is now facing class-action lawsuits, particularly from Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish customers, who have presented evidence of the data being sold illegally.

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November 19, 2024 at 11:15AM

Phishing Campaign Exploits Fake Trump Assassination Story to Harvest Corporate Data

A new phishing campaign circulating online is using a fabricated assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump to trick users into divulging personal and corporate information, according to cybersecurity experts at ESET. The attack targets corporate networks with the goal of stealing sensitive data and potentially infiltrating these systems.

While two genuine assassination attempts on Trump were reported prior to the 2024 U.S. elections, the latest claim—suggesting a plot against him by Iranian agents—is completely false and intended to deceive. Experts are warning users to be cautious of this latest phishing scheme, which plays on current events and aims to capitalize on public interest in Trump’s return to office.

The emails in question are being tailored to the domain names of specific victims, with perpetrators focusing on corporate targets. These emails often feature counterfeit logos of well-known media outlets to lend credibility to the fabricated story. The attackers then embed shortened URLs that lead to fake login pages designed to steal corporate user credentials.

As Trump is set to be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, the timing of the campaign is particularly strategic. The email campaigns often cite “The New York Times,” a news outlet that has been critical of Trump, using it as a seemingly legitimate source of the assassination report. This tactic is intended to increase the likelihood that recipients will fall for the scam, especially given the media’s historic stance against the former president.

In a similar attack, a major software company was also targeted by the same phishing campaign, with the perpetrators swapping out logos to make the emails appear to come from Reuters. This shows how attackers are willing to adapt their tactics to maximize the effectiveness of their schemes.

Cybersecurity professionals recommend that users be vigilant and mark such suspicious emails as spam. If any of these messages make it to your inbox, experts advise against clicking on any embedded links, as they can redirect to malicious sites designed to install malware or steal sensitive data.

With the possibility of such campaigns increasing during the first few months of Trump’s second term in office, both public and private sectors are being urged to remain on high alert. Vigilance is essential in the face of these evolving cyber threats.

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November 18, 2024 at 08:43PM