Cork headquartered cybersecurity firm warns of rise in phishing attacks

A LEADING cybersecurity firm headquartered in Cork has released figures showing an increase of 60% in the number of phishing attacks against businesses in 2022.

The figures were published yesterday by Smarttech247 which urged people to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves from such attacks.

The company said that 78% of attacks last year were aimed at stealing personal information, 13% were trying to steal login credentials, 5% were trying to compromise a business and 4% targeted malicious file delivery.

Smarttech247 CEO, Raluca Saceanu, will discuss the figures at the upcoming Zero Day Con cybersecurity event in the Dublin Convention Centre on March 9.

Speaking ahead of the event, Ms Saceanu said her teams are constantly adapting their skills to keep ahead of hackers.

“Phishing attacks have become more sophisticated, requiring human interaction with legitimate resources before redirecting users to malicious resources.

“Threat actors use this method to bypass email security solutions such as a sandbox, because that measure cannot resolve a captcha or a form,” he said.

Ms Saceanu said that certain businesses are more likely to be the target of attacks.

“From our experience, threat actors are most likely to try to attack healthcare, education, manufacturing, and utility companies,” she said.

“Our security experts urge individuals and organisations to stay vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves from cyberattacks.

“Such precautions include regularly updating software, using strong passwords, being cautious when opening emails and attachments from unknown sources, and staying informed about current cyber threats. By doing so, we can collectively work towards a safer online environment,” she said.

The rapidly evolving landscape facing cybercrime experts will be discussed in detail at the Zero Day Con event. Tickets and further information are available via https://zerodaycon.com/