Page 16 - Cyber Warnings

In a month where we do kind gestures and show our gratitude towards others, naivety can take
over your weariness to phishing emails which is why we must stay vigilant to the possibility that
not all emails are as genuine as they may seem - it’s this very reason they are so successful.

Yet, during Q4 over the past three years, the number of unique phishing sites detected has
increased each month but the number of phishing reports over the same time has declined
according to APWG reports.

A worrying trend has evolved where the end of the year has become the time of year in which
people start neglecting phishing emails and stop reporting them, despite evidence suggesting
that unique phishing websites are increasing year-on-year in December.

Much like the red-coated, beard wearing fellow from Lapland, cyber criminals don’t have the
Christmas period off. Fraudsters want to have a great Christmas with their families just like you,
so they work extra hard over this period to make ends meet. Keep a lookout for these emails in
your inbox when at work because it isn’t just your personal email accounts that are targeted.
Better education into phishing will either force the fraudsters to drastically change their
approach or give up because they aren’t making any money.

How do I spot a phish?

Bob’s Business consultant/resistant social engineer, Richard De Vere, wrote a blog showing
how to phishing emails can fool you by slighting changing just one or two characters in a web
address to those found in the Russian alphabet which can be found on the Yorkshire Cyber
Security Cluster website.

Our ‘Phishing Fears’ module details the steps you can take make sure that you don’t lose out by
spotting the common traits that many phishing emails follow.

We also recommend you follow this tips when you receive an email you weren’t expecting:
● Always shop at reputable sources - if you’re unsure as to whether the email is real, search for
the shop on Google

● Disable images in your inbox to make sure that no e-cards or e-gifts that are infected with
malware can infect your computer

● Check the email address. While the email might look reputable, the email address most
probably won’t

● Hover over any links in the email and check the url in the bottom left of the screen. If it looks
like a long, random set of numbers and letter then, it isn’t secure

● Check for spelling mistakes - it’s common for phishing emails to contain poor spelling and
grammar

16 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine December 2016 Edition
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