Gone phishing

According to cybersecurity technology firm Zscaler’s annual ThreatLabz report, attempted phishing attacks jumped 47.2% year on year in 2022. The education industry experienced a 576% increase in phishing attacks and the finance sector saw a 273% increase. In phishing attacks online perpetrators typically attempt to impersonate organizations, people, and websites in an attempt to trick users into sharing sensitive financial or login credentials. Across all types of attacks, the World Economic Forum estimates the total cost of cybercrime will rise from USD 6 trillion in 2021 to USD 10.5 trillion in 2025. To reduce the risk of falling prey to a phishing attack, internet users need to pay very close attention, as attackers are typically disguised as well-recognized online counterparties. For instance, 30.8% of observed phishing attacks appeared as Microsoft, and a further 17.4% were listed as OneDrive. 

Source: Zscaler, April 2023