Phishing attacks have seen a significant surge in 2023, with a 40 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to Kaspersky’s annual spam and phishing report. The report indicates that over 709 million attempts to access phishing and scam websites were thwarted by Kaspersky’s anti-phishing system.
Messaging platforms have become a popular channel for spreading phishing attacks, with a notable increase of 22 percent in phishing attempts on Telegram. AI platforms, social media services, and cryptocurrency exchanges are among the most exploited channels by attackers.
Despite the rise in new technological avenues for scams, attackers continue to employ traditional tactics to deceive unsuspecting users. Phishers and scammers capitalize on high-profile events and releases, such as movie premieres like Barbie and Wonka, to lure victims into accessing counterfeit websites.
Cryptocurrency-related scams remain a persistent threat, with fake pages imitating popular cryptocurrency sites prompting users to enter their wallet credentials. Additionally, scammers use cryptocurrency as bait in ads on social media and spam emails offering free Bitcoin to steal credentials.
World events continue to be popular topics for spam emails, with solicitations for crypto donations to support causes like the Israel-Hamas conflict or the Turkish earthquake.
To safeguard against scams, Kaspersky experts advise users to exercise caution when opening emails and clicking on links, verify the legitimacy of senders, scrutinize URLs for spelling accuracy, and utilize a trusted security solution while browsing the web. Stay vigilant, stay skeptical, and protect your digital identity.
