Microsoft Moves Up As Phishers' Favorite Target for Brand Spoofing

Researchers compiled a list of the most common brands to impersonate by detecting and analyzing new phishing URLs.

Dark Reading Staff, Dark Reading

July 18, 2018

1 Min Read
Dark Reading logo in a gray background | Dark Reading

Microsoft is cybercriminals' favorite brand to impersonate in phishing attacks, following a 57% increase in phishing URLs detected during Q2 2018, Vade Secure reports.

The boost propelled Microsoft past PayPal and Facebook, which fell into second and third place, respectively, on the inaugural Phishers' Favorites list. Researchers tallied the number of new phishing URLs detected in the company's filter engine to compile their list of most commonly spoofed brands.

Microsoft took the top spot because it's highly profitable to compromise an Office 365 account, researchers report. Email-based attacks are seen as an easy entry point into a treasure trove of data, files, and contacts from other Office 365 apps, such as OneDrive, SharePoint, and Skype.

PayPal was a distant second due to a 16% increase in phishing URLs; however, it remains heavily targeted as the most broadly used online payment service, with 237 million users. Facebook fell two spots to No. 3 after a 54% decline in phishing URLs. The social media giant has historically been a popular target but is less common after it ramped up security efforts following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Read more details here.

Horizontal-334031_BH_US18_banners_468x60_non_1.png

 

 

 

Black Hat USA returns to Las Vegas with hands-on technical Trainings, cutting-edge Briefings, Arsenal open-source tool demonstrations, top-tier security solutions and service providers in the Business Hall. Click for information on the conference and to register.

About the Author

Dark Reading Staff

Dark Reading

Dark Reading is a leading cybersecurity media site.

Keep up with the latest cybersecurity threats, newly discovered vulnerabilities, data breach information, and emerging trends. Delivered daily or weekly right to your email inbox.

You May Also Like


More Insights