Microsoft most common in phishing – and LinkedIn makes a comeback

The IT security company Check Point Software presents its Brand Phishing Ranking, a list of which brands are most exploited by cybercriminals, for the last quarter of 2024. The goal of phishing attacks is usually to access personal information or payment details of individuals and companies.

Cybercriminals continue to evolve their phishing strategies and become better at posing as credible organizations to deceive victims. Microsoft has long been the most popular brand and continues to be so, as almost a third of all phishing attacks in the fourth quarter of 2024 claimed to come from there. Apple and Google were both at 12 percent, and LinkedIn was close behind by 11 percent.

Increase in phishing campaigns involving clothing brands during the Christmas holidays

During the holiday season at the end of last year, Checkpoint Software's security researchers have seen a significant increase in phishing campaigns targeting well-known clothing brands. This was mainly done using fake domains that appear to be official and with fake product offers. Here, victims believe they are buying something from, for example, Adidas or Nike, but in fact it takes cybercriminals payment information to empty the account.

– Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly skilled at imitating well-known brands, says Fredrik Sandström, security expert at Check Point SoftwareNew tools such as AI are lowering the bar for committing phishing attacks, meaning more people have the ability to successfully carry out these attacks. Users must also become better at identifying attacks and updating their security systems to avoid falling victim.

For more information, read Check Point Software's blog: https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/exploring-q4-2024-brand-phishing-trends-microsoft-remains-the-top-target-as-linkedin-makes-a-comeback/