Phishing Attacks at an All-Time High

Early 2022 Phishing Data Shows an Alarming Trend

Phishing and ransomware go hand in hand. Ransomware almost always arrives at your company’s doorstep through a phishing email attack. New data on phishing attacks from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APG) for the first quarter of 2022 shows an emphasis on impersonation and credential theft.

The APG’s latest quarterly report shows explosive growth in phishing attacks.

• The number of phishing attacks rose by 15% to over 1 million for the first time.
• The number of unique phishing email subjects increased 25% to just over 53,000, possibly indicating a greater focus on spear phishing attacks, tailoring email subjects to get the attention of their victim recipients.
• The number of brands attacked has dipped below the previous record set in September of last year but has been growing since a massive dip occurred in December, putting brand impersonation on target to surpass last year’s number early.
• Impersonation attacks on social media were up 74% from the prior quarter to represent nearly half (47%) of such attacks.

Don’t Be a Victim

No one wants to deal with a ransomware attack in their organization. If it’s successful, the attack will not only be a major drain on company resources but will also create complications that could reverberate for ages. Even worse, it could put an organization out of business. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of small and midsized companies will go out of business within six months of a ransomware attack.

Employee Education is the Key

The best offense is a good defense when it comes to phishing. The key is in making phishing attacks ineffective through employee education. Phishing simulations through security education & awareness training are effective at reducing an organization’s risk by making employees better at spotting bogus, unusual, and malicious-looking emails. Once employees are trained at spotting them, they are taking an active role in stopping cyber criminals from entering your organization.

Locknet® Managed IT’s Security and Awareness Training Service is the ideal solution for businesses of any size.

• Pre-test simulated phishing attacks to identify how phish-prone your organization is. 
• Employees will learn how to identify common threat tactics such as social engineering, phishing, spoofing, and ransomware.
• 36-month online training program includes case studies, live demonstration videos, and final tests to ensure employees retain the information.

Partner with Locknet’s team of trusted professionals to create a “human firewall” of both technology and employee education for your organization. Contact us today.