Declaration Times: How to Protect Yourself Against Cyberattacks and Phishing

Tax filing season is upon us – a crucial time of year for individuals, organizations and, unfortunately, cybercriminals who take advantage of this period to launch targeted attacks against people filing or handling tax-related matters, making them easy targets for the theft of sensitive information.

Increased phishing attacks during tax declaration periods

During declaration periods, the number of phishing attempts increases significantly, posing major challenges to individuals and businesses. Since cybercriminals are taking advantage of these times to target vulnerable users, it is important to stay updated and informed about the latest trends and the methods they are using.

Fake authority domains and international examples

Since February, researchers at Checkpoint Research (CPR) has tracked a dozen registered domains related to the UK's tax authority (HMRC) and 46 percent of them are classified as malicious or suspicious. Cybercriminals are using fake URLs that mimic legitimate domain names used by government agencies. Similar phishing campaigns have also been detected in USA, where criminals impersonate the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to steal users' information. The Swedish Tax Agency also announced in March that they had been subjected to distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks on the day it became possible to declare digitally.

Security expert's advice during declaration times

– It is important to be vigilant now during declaration times, says Mats Ekdahl, security expert at Check Point Software. Cybercriminals are constantly looking for opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities and trick people. But with good habits and the right cybersecurity solutions, such as email protection, web filters or AI-powered tools, you can protect yourself against these threats.

How to protect yourself against cyber threats

To protect yourself and your information, there are some proactive measures you can take. can assume:

• Always double-check URLs before clicking them
• Be vigilant against emails asking you for information
• Use a strong password and change it out regularly
• Enable multi-factor authentication when possible

Read more on Check Point's blog: https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/tax-season-scams-how-to-protect-yourself-from-cyber-security-threats/