LinkedIn Cyber Threat
24 February 2022
Since the start of February 2022, cyber analysts have seen phishing email attacks impersonating LinkedIn grow by 232%.
This new wave of phishing attacks are aimed at jobseekers on LinkedIn and researchers said: “It is likely these phishing attacks aim to capitalise on jobseekers by flattering them into believing their profile is being viewed and their experience is relevant to household brands.” This may in part be triggered by the end of home working, as those who’ve become accustomed to a new work-life balance enjoyed through the pandemic may seek new roles that allow them to continue to work from home.
The phishing emails used subject lines to entice to job seekers hoping to get noticed, such as “Who’s searching for you online?” “You appeared in 6 searches this week” or even “You have a new message.” The emails themselves are very convincing as we’ve come to expect with sophisticated phishing scams, with built in HTML templates using the LinkedIn logo, colours, fonts and icons.
The cyber criminals also used the names of well-known and high-profile companies throughout the phishing emails, to make the correspondence seem more legitimate and enticing to their potential victims.
In addition, they employed display name spoofing, designed to hide the accounts used to launch the attacks. When the recipient clicks on the malicious links contained in the email, they are directed to a site to harvest their LinkedIn logins and passwords.
LinkedIn have responded to the latest phishing scam and said: “Our internal teams work to take action against those who attempt to harm LinkedIn members through phishing. We encourage members to report suspicious messages and help them learn more about what they can do to protect themselves, including turning on two-step verification.”
As wiith any email you receive, whether from LinkedIn or any other source, always be on alert and check before you click on any links – and definitely before you enter a user name and password! It may be more convenient to click on a link in an email you receive but it’s safer to close them email, access the website directly and log in there. If the message is genuine, it’ll be right there waiting for you!
Can Cyber Insurance help?
Prevention is always better than cure. But, as cyber attacks and data breaches increase in both frequency and sophistication, Cyber Insurance is more crucial than ever.
Having the right cover in place will support and protect your business in the event of a cyber attack or data breach. It not only provides comprehensive cover but will provide you with a trusted partner to support the business and get you working again.
Obtaining a quote for your business is a simple and straightforward, simply contact Charlotte.
Contact
Charlotte Perkins
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