Check Point Research has recently released a report outlining the brands that were most frequently imitated in phishing campaigns in the first quarter of 2021. Surprisingly, big names like Apple failed to make the top 10, with Walmart coming in at first place with 16% of all attempts. This surge in Walmart phishing attempts was triggered by a malicious survey link that asked victims of their supply system’s collapse. Other tech giants on the top of the list include DHL (13%) and Microsoft (12%).
The technology sector appears to be the most impersonated industry in this case, followed by shipping and retail. The list also features well-known companies like LinkedIn (6%), FedEx (4.9%), Google (4.8%), Netflix (4%), Raiffeisen (3.6%) and PayPal (3.5%).
Raiffeisen made it onto the list with their malicious link encouraging victims to click it to “secure” their accounts against fraudulent activity. In reality, malicious actors wanted users to give away their personal information that would be then stolen. Therefore, educating employees on the dangers of phishing and teaching them the basics of email security is the best way to protect against this type of cyberattack.
Check Point Software, the company behind the report, is a leading global information security Group that specializes in providing cyber-security solutions. The company was founded by Gil Shwed and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. Omer Dembinsky, Data Group Manager at Check Point Software, advised criminals use phishing campaigns to get as many people to part with their data as possible, and that most times these attempts are made for stealing account information and payment details.
