Technology cannot stop phishing attacks perhaps common sense

Without warning, phishing attacks are still a vector of evil. It’s time to forget technology and depend on good old mutual sense.

Attacks on the crime of identity theft fall into the trap of bad people who have used it for thousands of years, making it extremely difficult to fight it. Case point; In this article, I asked a few friends if it was okay to click on the active links in the email. They all say no. However, I do know for a fact that an email with a video link to cats circulates within the same group.

That’s where the problem lies. Bad people understand this. Bad guys also know what psychological buttons they should press. Yet to improve the chances of getting the victim to click on the bad link.

A good example of pressing buttons is how phishers use FUD-generated Target data violations, sending thousands of emails to steal certain information that provides financial protection. Target is aware of this scam, saying the following on their FAQ page:

“Beware of scams that may appear to be protecting you but are trying to get your information from you. If you have any doubts about the authenticity of an email or text, do not click on the links in it. Please go directly to the sites you need to access. ”

The fact that phishers use Target data violations to their advantage shows that they are wrong or guilty. However, I press on the situation and make a quick decision I often regret. The solution is to back off, take a deep breath, and be aware that a surprise offer or a scary security alarm may be an email to steal sensitive information.

Phishers exploiting attachments

Like many artists, phishers must keep their craft fresh. As people learn to evade active links to unsolicited emails, fishermen are switching to new favorites – email attachments. At the Environmental Post, Paul Duklin urges people to write an attachment:

We urge you to be mindful of email attachments (Duklin’s emphasis), especially if you did not expect it. That’s to protect you from booby traps, where cyber makers give you a tricky file like text or a deliberately tied image to crash your browser (or PDF reader, or multimedia player, whatever) and infect you with malware. ”

Duklin is anxious because notices about phishing emails often raise to links entrenched in the body of an email, not attachments

Technology will always be a step behind

The question people have been requesting me lately. However, “Without going back and forth with a little wind, what else can we do?” That’s a good question, and I’m afraid my usual answer seems absurd right now. I, like many others who write about data security, have preached. “Do this and don’t do that.” However, to be honest, it all comes down to knowing.

I say that because there is little value that antimalware and IT professionals can do to protect us. Indeed, when they find the spirit of a criminal attack to steal sensitive information. They get a name and update their software to see the latest fraud. But what about those who are unlucky enough to receive an email addressing a crime of identity theft before the name comes out?

That question is the very reason why the experts I have mentioned believe that the only effective prevention is to make users aware. Rely on your environment, if it seems bad, it is very likely. Added advice, “More often than not, there are ways to check whether the email is genuine or not. And if there is no phone number or other way to verify the sender, delete the email. ”