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Q3 2023 saw a significant increase in both phishing and malware attacks. Phishing volumes increased by 173% compared to the previous quarter, with a total of 493.2 million phishing emails. Malware attacks also rose by 110%, reaching 125.7 million emails in the quarter.
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August was the most active month for phishers, with over 207.3 million phishing emails, followed by September and July.
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Facebook and Microsoft remained the top impersonated brands by hackers. In Q3 2023, Facebook was the most impersonated brand, with a significant increase in phishing URLs compared to the previous quarters.
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Microsoft remained the most impersonated corporate brand, with hackers targeting Microsoft 365 users in various attacks. These attacks aimed to compromise victims by bypassing Microsoft 365’s native security features.
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The report details two Microsoft 365 attacks – one using a Baidu link redirect and another using QR codes. These attacks used various techniques to bypass email filters and compromise victims.
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Email continued to be the top vector for phishing and malware attacks. The report emphasized the need for integrated email security solutions and automated phishing awareness training to protect organizations.
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Phishing attacks surged across all industries. The government sector saw the largest increase at 292%, followed by cloud, social media, and finance. Bank of America was the most impersonated company, with an 873% increase in phishing URLs during Q3.
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via BetaNews
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