Recognize phishing: common topics in phishing emails 

Herken phishing: veelgebruikte onderwerpen in phishingmails 

The number of phishing attempts at businesses will increase nearly tenfold by 2023 from the previous year 1. At the same time, many companies report that they are not well prepared for this form of cybercrime. While it is important to have policy procedures in place in case your company becomes a victim, the most impact can be made in countering phishing. In this article, we explain common phishing email subject lines and the tactics behind them so you can recognize them more quickly.  

Phishing is a method in which scammers set out to gain access to important data or systems, such as your banking information or business systems. This often leads to a data breach, account blocking and/or financial blackmail.  

''Update your information'' 

A popular tactic is to send an e-mail asking you to update your information. Scammers can accomplish two things with this.  

  1. While updating data, your data is stolen 
  1. Updating indirectly leads to something the scammers want  

The former often involves login credentials. You can imagine the major consequences if a malicious party has access to your work email or (customer) systems. In the second case, updating data can lead to a data breach or financial loss, because, for example, an e-mail address or account number is changed to that of the scammer himself.  

Bol.com 

In 2019, employees of bol.com fell for this scam. They received a request to change the account number of Brabantia, one of their suppliers. Future payments were thereby transferred to the scammers' bank account.  
Damage: €750,000 

''We have noticed unusual activity on your account. Please check it''  

Another common tactic is to create urgency that something is wrong with your account. The scammer asks you to check your information, otherwise you might lose your account. When you comply, your account is taken over. There are two reasons why this tactic is often used: 

  1. The scammer may take over your account in order to blackmail you with it. 
  1. Uw account wordt gebruikt om mensen uit uw netwerk, zoals uw collega's, op te lichten.   

In the first case, you are the main victim. In the second case, people in your network are also at risk. If it involves an important communication channel, such as your mail, the scammer has access to all your contacts and previous communications.  

Apple 

Apple customers were targeted by this tactic in 2016. They received an email requiring them to confirm their account information because a virus had supposedly been found in Apple's iTunes database. While confirming the account details, the scammers attempted to steal the login information. For many Apple business users, this would mean that the scammer gained access to all the data in the business account, including e-mail addresses, phone numbers and possibly payment information.  

''Je moet dringend een betaling doen''   

Another tactic that uses urgency is when scammers make an urgent appeal for an important action, often from the name of an important person. This tactic is known as "spearphishing" or "CEO fraud. The target is a specific individual or group of employees. Scammers do a lot of research to find out as much as possible about the company's culture, visual elements, language and other details. This makes the phishing email almost identical to the normal communication of the "sender" and therefore difficult to distinguish. With this tactic, the scammer may be after two things: 

  1. The scammer wants you to click on the link or attachment.  
  1. The scammer wants you to make the payment. 

In the first case, the link contains dangerous malware. When you click on the link, this malware is installed on your computer. This can disrupt computer systems, collect sensitive information or gain access to accounts. In the second case, the scammer is directly out for payment.  

Pathé 

In 2018, cinema chain Pathé fell victim to this tactic. Criminals posed as directors of the French headquarters and sent emails to the Dutch management requesting urgent money transfers.  
Damage: 19 million euros.   

Beware! This is how to recognize phishing 

The subject line of an email is often the first clue to phishing. The message is often urgent, essential and asks the recipient to perform an action. Therefore, pay extra attention to emails that meet these requirements. In those cases, look closely at:

  • The sender: check the sender's e-mail address. If in doubt compare it with previous emails. If in doubt, it is best to verify the message with the sender through another communication channel.  
  • The salutation: often phishing emails are impersonal and start with "Dear Customer" or "Dear Sir/Madam.  
  • Spelling errors: phishing emails often contain spelling errors. In addition, conjugations and punctuation are often incorrect because emails are automatically translated.  
  • Personal data: never just share your personal or company data. An e-mail, text or WhatsApp message is never the way companies ask for data. When in doubt, always contact the relevant organization or person by phone.  
  • Attachments: malicious software can be sent via attachments. So never just open an attachment you are not expecting or from an unknown sender.  

Phishing campaign

With a phishing campaign tests how vulnerable your organization is to phishing. In a secure manner, a situation is created as scammers would do with phishing. Afterwards, you will receive a report with an overview of the results. This gives you insight into the impact phishing can have on your organization. 

  1. https://www.overons.kpn/nieuws/aantal-phishing-pogingen-bij-bedrijven-vertienvoudigt-in-slechts-een-jaar-tijd