Source URL: https://abnormalsecurity.com/blog/data-reveals-350-percent-increase-in-file-sharing-phishing
Source: CSA
Title: File-Sharing Phishing on the Rise: Insights from 2024 Report
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AI Summary and Description: Yes
**Summary:** The text discusses the alarming rise of file-sharing phishing attacks, which have increased by 350% over the past year, highlighting the evolving tactics of cybercriminals in utilizing genuine services to mislead recipients. The report emphasizes the inadequacy of legacy security measures against these sophisticated threats, particularly as generative AI enhances the believability of phishing attempts.
**Detailed Description:**
The text outlines a major shift in the phishing landscape, particularly focusing on a specific type of phishing attack known as file-sharing phishing. The report from Abnormal Security indicates that:
– **Prevalence of Phishing Attacks**: Phishing represents nearly 72% of all advanced attacks, illustrating its dominance as a threat vector.
– **Rise of File-Sharing Phishing**:
– This specific phishing method has surged by 350% year-over-year.
– Attackers masquerade as reputable file-sharing services to gain user trust.
– **Techniques Used**:
– Threat actors exploit recipients’ trust by creating seemingly legitimate business correspondences.
– Common phishing detection signals (e.g., poor grammar, suspicious URLs) have become less effective as these attacks often mimic normal communication patterns.
– Generative AI tools assist cybercriminals in crafting credible and professional-looking phishing emails, significantly reducing typical indicators of phishing.
– **Exploitation of Legitimate Services**:
– Many phishing attempts are conducted using established services (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive), making detection more challenging.
– A significant portion of attacks (60%) utilize old, legitimate domains to add credibility.
– **Impacted Industries**:
– The finance, construction, and real estate sectors are particularly vulnerable due to:
– Heavy reliance on file-sharing and e-signature solutions.
– Operational urgency that makes employees less likely to scrutinize unusual notifications.
– Regulatory environments that may hinder rapid adaptation to emerging cybersecurity threats.
– **Defense Recommendations**:
– The report stresses the urgency of adopting advanced email security solutions capable of identifying hyper-personalized threats.
– Legacy security tools are deemed insufficient against contemporary phishing tactics that utilize advanced technologies like Generative AI.
Key insights for security and compliance professionals include the necessity of evolving security measures to keep pace with innovative phishing strategies and the importance of ongoing employee training to recognize sophisticated attacks. Organizations must prioritize robust email security protocols to mitigate the risk of falling victim to file-sharing phishing schemes.