Scam Emails Are Getting Smarter: They Now Adapt to Your Device
Phishing attacks now automatically detect what device you are using and send matching fake screens. Here is how to spot them and stay safe.
Source
Dark Reading
Original headline: Crafty Phishing Campaigns Auto-Adapt to Victim's Device, OS
Plain-English summary by GetCyberRight. Read the full report at the source above.
Cybercriminals have developed a new phishing technique that automatically adapts to whatever device you are using. When you click a malicious link, the scam instantly detects whether you are on an iPhone, Android, Windows PC, or Mac, then displays a fake login screen that perfectly matches your device.
This makes the scams look much more believable and harder to spot. Everyone is affected by this threat. Whether you use email on your phone, tablet, or computer, these adaptive phishing attacks can target you. The scammers collect information about your device the moment you click their link, then instantly show you a fake page designed specifically for your device type.
Stay one step ahead of scammers
Weekly cybersecurity briefings for families. No spam, just the threats that matter and what to do about them.
This increases the chance you will fall for the scam and enter your password or personal information.
- Never click links in unexpected emails, even if they look legitimate. Instead, type the website address directly into your browser.
- Before entering any password, look carefully at the web address at the top of your browser. Make sure it exactly matches the real company website.
- If you receive an urgent email asking you to verify your account, close it and go directly to the company's official website or app instead.
- Enable two factor authentication on all important accounts like email, banking, and social media. Develop these long term safety habits: Hover your mouse over links before clicking to see where they really go. On phones, press and hold a link to preview the destination. Teach everyone in your family that legitimate companies never ask for passwords via email. When in doubt, delete the email and contact the company directly using a phone number from their official website. Regularly remind children and elderly family members about these rules, as scammers often target the most vulnerable.
Curated from trusted cybersecurity sources by GetCyberRight
Source: Dark ReadingStay ahead of cyber threats
Get our free weekly digest. Real threats, plain language, what to do about them. No spam, ever.
More articles
Major Security Flaw Exposed 75,000 Business Firewalls. Here's Why It Matters to You
A security flaw called FortiBleed left 75,000 firewalls vulnerable. If your employer, school, or service provider uses Fortinet, your data may be at risk.
2 min readMajor Security Flaw Left 75,000 Business Firewalls Wide Open
A security problem called FortiBleed exposed business networks for years. If your workplace uses Fortinet systems, ask IT about updates.
2 min read
If Your Business Uses Fortinet Security Software, Take Action Now
Criminals stole login credentials from Fortinet security systems and are using them to break into business networks and install ransomware.
2 min readMassive Password Theft Campaign Targets Business Security Systems
Criminals stole credentials from Fortinet security systems to prepare for ransomware attacks. If your workplace uses Fortinet, discuss security updates with your IT team.
2 min read