Phishing E-mails Continue to be Astonishingly Effective

Google in its new security report shows how phishing electronic mails - bulk messages which impersonate some lawful entity but that really take onto a fake online site - continue to prove surprisingly effective in invading Internet accounts. Sometimes such phishing messages manage success at as high a rate as 45%, states Google and digitaltrends.com reported this November 9, 2014.

The study reveals that when users hit on a phishing web-link, a mean of 14% people really proceed towards submitting confidential information such as bank card details alternatively, account login particulars.

The hackers subsequently act fast in gaining admission into the newly hijacked A/Cs leading to exploitation of at least one account from a total of five within as early as 30mins. And if any user unknowingly divulges his digital home credentials, in such a situation, he may lose access to his system just as quickly.

Google's team for the study examined a hundred phishing e-mails that Gmail accountholders themselves reported. It also examined a hundred phishing websites that the Safe Browsing system of Google intercepted. Thereafter, the team noticed that even in cases of most damaging phishing sites, 3% users still entered personal credentials.

This makes huge profit for scammers, notes Google, since a single attacker can get to send phishing e-mails in as-many-as millions.

When such a cyber-criminal manages in accessing somebody's A/C, he spends about 3mins determining the account's financial worth. Incase it's not valuable enough, he'll seemingly move to the next victim. The report tells that the hacker would utilize the search function of Gmail itself for determining whether the account associates with terms such as 'bank' or 'wire transfer.'

However, for remaining safe from these kinds of undesirable phishing attacks, users should learn to handle e-mails which solicit personal information, particularly login credentials, says Google. These messages shouldn't ever be answered; instead they should be reported to Google. If a link inside any electronic mail appears suspicious, its associated website should be directly visited rather than accessed via the web-link. Besides, it's good to activate 2-factor validation for deterring unwelcome sources in acquiring admission into one's account, Google recommends highly.

» SPAMfighter News - 11/18/2014