Phishing!
Phishing is a technique used by cybercriminals to obtain personal information in order to steal your identity. The technique involves making you believe you are contacting a trusted third party (bank, government agency, etc.). This allows them to extract personal information from you (password, credit card number, date of birth, etc.).
Most phishing scams occur when browsing a copy of a website. This tricks the victim into thinking they’re on the official website. The victim will then enter their personal details or credit card number. These details will then be fraudulently retrieved by the hacker. However, phishing also occurs through other means, such as email or text messages.
Over 80% of cybersecurity events involve phishing attacks . Google discovered over 2.1 million phishing sites in January 2021 .
To understand how hackers implement this practice, we have listed the main scenarios likely to phish Internet users.
Phishing Scenario 1
David receives an email from the tax office informing him of an overpayment. He then connects to the administration’s website by clicking on the link in the email. He enters his bank details to receive the refund. Quickly, the hackers empty his account! David hadn’t realized that the email was fraudulent and that he had gone to a fake government website.
Phishing Scenario 2
Caroline is surfing the web looking for vacation deals. Without paying attention to the link, she clicks on a Google ad titled “Flight tickets from €15.” The ad redirects her to a webpage that looks like a well-known online discounter. She selects her trip and pays by credit card. When she arrives at the airport, she realizes that her plane ticket is invalid and that numerous charges have been made to her credit card.
Phishing Scenario 3
Romain, who is having trouble receiving TV on his box, thinks he’ll get a quick answer by using Twitter. He finds an account called @SAV_OPERATEUR_FR. Within minutes, a technical advisor gives him a link to a support page. Romain types in his username and password. The hacker instantly takes control of his real customer account and makes numerous purchases.
Microsoft 365 has a range of tools to combat phishing
If you have any questions about your level of protection, please do not hesitate to contact us.
