Google, Amazon are the most popular brands among hackers

Phishing attacks have been on a rise ever since the Covid-19 pandemic locked people inside their homes. Now, a new report says that Google and Amazon have emerged as the top brands popular among hackers for tricking innocent people across the globe.

Check Point Research today rolled out its Q2 Brand Phishing Report. In its report that outlines the latest trends in ‘brand phishing’, a term used to describe when a hacker imitates an official website of a known brand by using a similar domain or URL, the cybersecurity firm noted that Google and Amazon and were the most imitated brands in phishing attempts. Interestingly, Apple, which was the popular choice among hackers in the first quarter of the year was displaced to the seventh position.

The report noted that while Google and Amazon were imitated by hackers in 13% phishing attacks between April to June, WhatsApp and Facebook were imitated in 9% attacks. Similarly, Microsoft and Outlook that stood at fifth and sixth spots were imitated in 7% and 3% phishing attacks respectively. Apple, which stood at the seventh spot, was the highlight of nearly 2% of the phishing attacks. Apple was closely followed by Netflix, Huawei and PayPal at eighth, ninth and tenth spots by being imitated in 2% attacks each.

The report also said that email phishing attacks were the second most common type of cyber attacks after the web-based exploits in the second quarter of the year compared to the first quarter of the year wherein they were the third most popular technique used by the hackers. “The reason for this change may be the easing of global Covid-19 related restrictions, which have seen businesses re-opening and employees returning to work. Making up nearly a quarter (24%) of all phishing attacks, email phishing exploits targeted Microsoft, Outlook and Unicredit, in that order,” the report noted.

Coming to the mobile phishing attacks, which accounted for nearly 15% of the attacks between April and June, Facebook remained the most popular choice among hackers. It was followed by WhatsApp and PayPal on second and third spots.

“Cyber criminals continue to focus on tricking us through the household names we trust - think Google, Amazon and WhatsApp. However, this past quarter, we saw much more email phishing activity than usual...I expect the email phishing attacks to proliferate as we get into the second half of 2020, for all signs are pointing towards what could be an imminent cyber pandemic. To stay safe, I’d use only authentic websites, beware of special offers, and watch for lookalike domains as much as possible,” Lotem Finkelsteen, Manager of Threat Intelligence at Check Point, said in a statement.