Phishing attempts surge by 40% in 2023

A report by Kaspersky reveals that in 2023, more than 709 million phishing attacks were blocked, representing an increase by 40% from 2022. The most frequently utilize pathways for these phishing attempts included messaging apps, social media platforms, cryptocurrency exchanges, and artificial intelligence platforms. While the number of attacks rose steadily throughout the year, there was a higher number of incidents in May and June. The report suggests that this may be due to travel scams, including fraudulent hotel deals and airline tickets. 

To prevent an organization’s employees from falling for a phishing scam, the report suggests that security leaders provide organization members with the following advice: 

• Emails and links should only be opened if the sender is a trusted source. 
• If an email’s content appears strange but the sender is trusted, reach out to the sender through another method of communication to verify the email. 
• Examine any URLs sent to you for spelling mistakes, as these mistakes may indicate a phishing link.