The number of hacks that occur on Google, Gmail, and Amazon accounts keeps on rising, causing users to become anxious. By using phishing tactics, hackers are targeting users' passwords for Gmail, Facebook, and Amazon through phishing campaigns that pose significant risks to their personal information.
A new notice has appeared warning users of Google Mail, Facebook, and Amazon that there has been a new attack on password hacking that puts their personal information at risk because society has gone digital and protecting your credentials is "the name of the game."
There is no denying the fact that these platforms are among the most popular in the world, so it is vital to have a good understanding of what threats are coming and what possibilities there are to prevent these threats.
Overall, cybersecurity experts predict a steady increase for the year, but they also note that the complexity of password hacks for Gmail and Facebook, as well as attempts to access Amazon accounts, has grown dramatically as well. It has been found that the complexity of password hacks for Gmail and Facebook has increased dramatically as a result of increased complexity in the attacks.
Typically, these hacking attempts benefit from phishing attacks, brute force attacks, and social engineering attacks, all of which are designed to take advantage of overly trustful users or weaknesses within the platforms that make them vulnerable.
Several new threat analyses, including those conducted by Kaspersky Labs, reveal that password theft attacks have become increasingly common against Amazon users, Facebook users, and, most of all, Google users.
There have been several attacks targeting these platforms, including those aimed at stealing passwords.
Kaspersky reported an increase of 40% in attempts of hackers to entice users to access malicious sites impersonating these brands in comparison to last year based on a study it conducted.
It is no surprise that malicious hackers are seeking credentials for Gmail, Facebook, and Amazon accounts to spread their malicious programming. As a matter of fact, these accounts may be exploited to reach the full heights of cybercrime by committing data theft, malware distribution, and credit card fraud all at the same time.
A Google account is a skeleton key that can be used to unlock an entire treasure trove of other account credentials, as well as personal information, enabling fraudsters to access a treasure trove of private information. The information contained in a user's Gmail inbox is immeasurable when compared to that contained in their inbox on the web, and the chances are that they will have one given how popular this web-based free email service is with most people these days.
As per Kaspersky reports, hackers are mainly targeting Google, Amazon, and Facebook passwords in their effort to steal personal information.
During the first half of 2024, Kaspersky Security reported a 243% increase in the number of attack attempts, with the company itself preventing approximately 4 million attempts. It is estimated that Facebook users were exposed to 3.7 million phishing attempts during the same period, and Amazon users were exposed to 3 million.
In an interview with Kaspersky Internet Security, Olga Svistunova, who is an expert in data security at the company, warned that a criminal with access to a Gmail account may be able to access "multiple services".
Thus, it is important to note that not only may business information be leaked as a result, but also the personal information of customers can also be leaked as a result.
To target these platforms, hackers are looking for account passwords, as getting access to these platforms allows them to commit fraud, distribute malware, and steal sensitive information. It is proposed that Google accounts are especially valuable since they can be used to hack into other accounts and to collect personal information that can be used in fraud attempts.
According to researchers at GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team, Rui Ataide and Hermes Bojaxhi of the GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team, there is an ongoing phishing campaign targeting more than 130 U.S. organizations, which has been detected as a new and worrying one. There have been so many misuses of the term "highly sophisticated threat actor" in recent years that it almost has lost all meaning, but the tactics and intrusion capabilities that were employed by this as-yet-unnamed attacker have led the GRIT researchers to conclude that this attacker deserves to be called such a label.
A spear-phishing attack, as with other spear-phishing campaigns, revolves around the targeting of specific employees within an organization rather than attempting to hit every single email account in an organization with a scattergun approach, as is so often the case with so-called spear-phishing campaigns.
The attack has also targeted other tech giants, including Microsoft and Apple, as well as numerous smaller companies. Additionally, DHL, Mastercard, Netflix, eBay, and HSBC are also among the companies involved.
Cloud security provider Netskope, in a recent report, found a 2,000-fold increase in traffic to phishing pages sent through Microsoft Sway, a cloud-based application that provides users with the ability to create visual instructions, newsletters, and presentations through the use of visual illustrations.
Hackers are increasingly exploiting a technique known as “quishing,” a form of phishing that utilizes QR codes to deceive users into logging into malicious websites, thereby stealing their passwords. This method is particularly effective as QR codes can bypass email scanners designed to detect text-based threats.
Additionally, since QR codes are frequently scanned with mobile devices—which often lack the robust security measures found on desktops and laptops—users become more vulnerable to these types of attacks.
A new variant of QR code phishing has been recently detailed by J. Stephen Kowski, the Field Chief Technology Officer at SlashNext, in a LinkedIn article. Unlike traditional QR code phishing, which typically involves an image-based QR code redirecting users to a malicious site, this new method leverages Unicode text characters to create QR codes.
According to Kowski, this approach presents three significant challenges for defenders: it evades image-based analysis, ensures accurate screen rendering, and creates a duality in appearance between the screen rendering and plain text, making detection more difficult.
Given these emerging threats, individuals who frequently use platforms such as Google’s Gmail, Facebook, and Amazon, as well as other major online services, should exercise caution to avoid becoming victims of identity theft. The risk of falling prey to password-hacking attempts can be significantly reduced by adhering to best practices in security hygiene across different accounts and maintaining a high level of vigilance.
In today’s technology-driven world, personal awareness and proactive measures serve as the first line of defence against such cyber threats.
Protecting Business Accounts from Phishing Attacks
1. Recognize Phishing Indicators
- Generic Domain Extensions: Be cautious of emails from generic domains like "@gmail.com" instead of corporate domains, as attackers use these to impersonate businesses.
- Misspelt Domains: Watch for near-identical domains that slightly alter legitimate ones, such as "Faceb0ok.com." These deceptive domains are used to trick users into providing sensitive information.
- Content Quality: Legitimate communications are typically polished and professional. Spelling errors, poor grammar, and unprofessional formatting are red flags of phishing attempts.
- Urgency and Fear Tactics: Phishing messages often create a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly to avoid negative consequences, such as account suspensions or security breaches.
- Unusual Requests: Be wary of unexpected requests for money, personal information, or prompts to click links or download attachments. Hackers often impersonate trusted entities to deceive recipients.
2. Implement Security Software
- Install robust security tools, including firewalls, spam filters, and antivirus software, to guard against phishing attacks.
- Utilize web filters to restrict access to malicious websites.
- Regularly update software to patch vulnerabilities and protect against new threats.
3. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Enhance account security by implementing MFA, which requires a second verification factor (e.g., a code, fingerprint, or secret question) in addition to a password.
- MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access and helps safeguard business credentials.
By staying vigilant, maintaining updated security software, and utilizing MFA, businesses can better protect their accounts and sensitive information from phishing attacks.
