Skip to main content

Malicious links are dominating emails all over the world

Malicious web links are dominating emails all over the world, being used to deliver harmful malware in order to wreak havoc or extort money.

A new research paper by cybersecurity experts Hornetsecurity found that besides malicious web links, hackers are still super interested in phishing. With an increase of almost 4% year-on-year (39.6% - 43.3%), it is still the most common email attack technique. 

Hackers are also constantly evolving their tactics by changing email formats and attachments to best sneak around spam filters.

Reader Offer: $50 Amazon gift card with demo
 Perimeter 81's Malware Protection intercepts threats at the delivery stage to prevent known malware, polymorphic attacks, zero-day exploits, and more. Let your people use the web freely without risking data and network security.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?) 

Impersonating major brands

According to its Cyber Security Report 2024, based on an analysis of 45 billion emails sent last year, Hornetsecurity found the percentage of emails containing harmful web links rose by 144%, rising from 12.5% of all threats last year, to 30.5% this year.

Last year, when Microsoft disabled macros by default in Office, hackers quickly pivoted from Word and Excel files (down 9.5% and 6.7% respectively), to HTML files (37.1% of files analyzed), PDFs (23.3%), and Archive files (20.8%). Of all the new additions, HTML files seem to be the most popular, rising by 76.6% in the last year alone.

When sending malicious emails, hackers are usually impersonating popular brands. DHL takes up 26.1% of all impersonations, Amazon 7.7%, and FedEx 2.3%. Other notable mentions include LinkedIn, Microsoft (both 2.4%), and Netflix (2.2%).

Threat actors also don’t seem to be particularly interested in a specific vertical, or business. While some endpoints may be attacked more frequently, there isn’t a single industry that’s safe from email-borne attacks. 

“If an organization can pay a ransom, it’s a target to cybercriminals,” the researchers said. Notable mentions include the research industry, entertainment companies, and the manufacturing sector.

“Many organizations are too reactive, only responding to specific threats or acting after they have fallen victim," commented Daniel Hofmann, Hornetsecurity CEO.

"This approach leaves them vulnerable to attack. Businesses need a zero-trust mindset to protect themselves and should adopt all-encompassing security services to set their minds at rest.

"Our research highlights the adaptability of cybercriminals, and the rapid shifts that have taken place in the last year.”

More from TechRadar Pro



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more