Phishing = more advanced than you think

Phishing has always been a threat, and now, with advancements in AI, it's more dangerous than ever. Phishing attacks are now more intelligent, convincing, and harder to detect. To keep your business safe, it is crucial you understand the threat it poses.  
 

‍
How does AI enhance phishing? 

‍
Realistic Messages 

‍
AI can analyse huge amounts of data and study how people write and speak, helping to create realistic phishing messages. These messages mimic the tone and style of legitimate communications, making them harder to identify.  

‍
Personalised Attacks 

‍
AI can gather information from social media and use it in phishing attacks to create personalised messages. The hope with these threats is that the details they mention increase the chance of users believing the message is real.  

‍
Spear Phishing 

‍
Spear phishing targets specific individuals or organisations. It's more sophisticated than regular phishing because it assists attackers in researching their targets in depth. Due to the research placed behind each message, these messages can be hard to distinguish from legitimate ones.  

‍
Automated Phishing 

‍
With task automation becoming the norm, cybercriminals can take advantage of this by automating the sending of thousands of phishing messages. AI can also adapt messages based on responses. If someone clicks a link but doesn't enter information, AI will generate a follow-up email to maintain persistence in the scam.  
 
‍

The Impact of AI-Enhancing Phishing 

‍
Increased Success Rates 

‍
AI makes phishing more effective; more people are falling for sophisticated attacks. The personalisation and persistence of their approach lead to more data breaches and successful attacks.  

‍
Harder to Detect 

‍
Traditional phishing detection methods struggle against AI-enhanced attacks, with spam filters failing to catch them. Employees typically do not recognise phishing emails as threats unless they are educated on how to spot them. 

‍
Greater Damage 

‍
AI-enhanced phishing can cause more damage, with personalised attacks leading to significant breaches in your organisation's data. Gaining access to sensitive information can harm your employees and operations.  

‍
How to protect your business? 

‍
Check for mistakes 

‍
Look out for misspellings and grammatical errors. These are big indicators of phishing emails or spam. Other indicators might include generic greetings, urgent language, or requests for information. Be cautious if the email seems urgent and unusual.  

‍
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) 

‍
MFA adds an extra layer of security. Even if an attacker gets your password, they'll need another verification form, making it harder for them to access your accounts. 

‍
Educate Your Team 

‍
Learn about phishing tactics and how to spot a likely attack. Stay informed about the latest threats and share this knowledge with others; training can help people recognise and avoid phishing attacks.  

‍
Report Phishing Attempts 

‍
Report phishing attempts to our team. As your IT provider, we are dedicated to keeping your data safe, and your reporting will assist us in improving security measures. 

‍
Enable Email Authentication Protocols 

‍
Email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC help protect against email spoofing. Enabling these protocols for your domain adds more security to your emails. 

‍
Regular Security Audits 

‍
We will conduct regular security audits to help identify vulnerabilities in your systems. We can prevent phishing attacks and keep your data secure by addressing these vulnerabilities.  
Phishing is a serious threat—AI amplifies the danger with advanced, harder-to-detect threats. 
 
Are you worried about the safety of your business? 
Chat with our team today – 01482420150 

‍

‍