Phishing is a cyberattack in which criminals impersonate trusted entities to steal information or data. These types of attacks are known to be more sophisticated and financially damaging to businesses. According to the 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, phishing accounts for 36% of data breaches. IBM estimates the average cost of a phishing attack to be 44.9 million, a figure known to be one of the most expensive forms of cybercrime.
Numerous mailbox providers and regulatory bodies are increasingly paying attention to anti-phishing measures and proactive defense mechanisms. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) v4.0, for example, now includes anti-phishing requirements. This move underscores the shift within the global payment security and aligns closely with global KYC regulations to enhance customer trust and data protection across borders.
Key Takeaways
- Anti-phishing measures are now a requirement under numerous regulatory entities and standards, like the PCI DSS v4.0.
- The effective implementation of anti-phishing measures brings financial, reputational, and regulatory risks to a minimum.
- Key anti-phishing measures include employee training, use of technical safeguards, and email authentication.
- AI plays an increasingly important role in the protection against phishing attacks.
Understanding Phishing
Phishing is a cyber attack wherein hackers deceive victims into providing sensitive information. They do this through email, text messages, phone calls, and other mediums of communication.
Popular Phishing Techniques
Common phishing techniques include email scams, fake websites, SMS phishing, and voice phishing.
Email Scams
Most phishing attacks are conducted by email. In an email phishing attack, the hackers often register a fake domain that is very similar to the official domain that a reputable organization uses. Hackers may use character substitution, similar-looking domain names, or spoof the same domain to trick the recipient.
Fake websites
Another common phishing technique is the use of fake websites. Hackers use these websites to steal the login credentials necessary to access legitimate websites. Hackers send an email from a domain name that appears legitimate, but in reality, is fake. The email includes a malicious link. If the victim clicks this link, they will be taken to a login page where they will be asked to enter sensitive details like login and password information.
SMS Phishing
SMS phishing (also known as smishing) is a common social engineering attack where hackers send fake mobile text messages to deceive the recipients into downloading malware, sending money, or providing sensitive details.
Voice phishing
Voice phishing (also known as vishing) is when attackers use phone calls to obtain sensitive information. Vishing differs from other types of phishing in that hackers communicate with their victims in natural language.
What Are Anti-Phishing Measures?
Anti-phishing measures involve strategies, techniques, and technologies aimed at protecting users from phishing attacks. They are designed to detect, block, and mitigate various types of phishing, while at the same time raising awareness among technical and non-technical communities alike.
Current Phishing Threat Landscape
Phishing is a cyberattack method that criminals use to receive sensitive information such as login credentials, payment details, and personal information. Attack vendors include:
- Email Phishing: Known as fake emails from ‘trusted brands’.
- Spear Phishing: Targeted attacks using personal information.
- Smishing and Vishing: These are known as attacks through SMS and voice phishing.
- Clone Phishing: Duplicated legitimate emails with malicious links involved.
Phishing poses a challenge globally within e-commerce businesses. According to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office, 79% of businesses reported experiencing a phishing attack last year, highlighting the need for cybersecurity awareness. With businesses expanding across borders, compliance with global KYC regulations is essential, as phishing attacks can compromise this compliance and put businesses at financial risk.
Why Are Anti-Phishing Measures Becoming Increasingly Popular?
The implementation of anti-phishing measures is no longer an option, but a requirement. PCI DSS v4.0, for example, now offers proactive defenses within requirement 5.4, stating that entities can detect and respond to phishing attacks. This change can help in securing payment environments that require both technical controls and user awareness.
Why anti-phishing measures are important:
- Financial Risk: The average ransomware payment is $1.5M, and it is often made through phishing (Sophos, 2024).
- Reputational Harm: Over 60% of customers can lose trust in a company after a data breach.
- Regulatory Pressure: Compliance, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and global KYC, demands stronger anti-phishing frameworks.
This new requirement encourages businesses to implement the right safeguarding measures to reduce any potential data loss or cyberattacks by including these phishing prevention measures in compliance checklists.
Core Anti-Phishing Measures
Businesses are encouraged to adopt anti-phishing approaches that work with technical tools, behavioural changes, and organisational policies. Here are some measures to consider:
Technical Methods
Technical methods include email filters, DNS filtering, and email authentication.
1. Technical Safeguards
Automated systems can block any type of phishing attack before it reaches users and online systems.
- Email Filtering: Use AI-powered email systems to help detect and isolate any type of suspicious messages.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Require MFA for all sensitive systems, such as app-based (Google Authenticator) or hardware tokens (YubiKey).
- Patch Management: Ensure systems are updated to fix vulnerabilities by prioritizing zero-day threats.
2. Email Authentication Protocols
Implement the following standards to help prevent spoofing and enforce sender integrity:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Helps to validate IP addresses authorized to send emails for a domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This adds a cryptographic signature to help verify message authenticity.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Uses SPF and DKIM data to help enforce rejection of unauthenticated messages.
Behavioral Methods
Common behavioral methods include employee training and reporting protocols.
1. Employee Training and Awareness
Phishing can target humans, which is why teams need to learn about the first line of defense:
- Stimulate Phishing Tests: Ensure that quarterly campaigns are run using platforms such as KnowBe4 or Proofpoint.
- Workshops: Teach staff and teams how to spot red flags within working environments, such as cues, suspicious links, or spoofed addresses.
- Verification: Encourage your employees to verify any unexpected communications and use reliable reporting tools such as Outlook’s “Report Phishing” button.
2. Reporting protocols (e.g., “Report Phishing” button in Outlook)
The majority of email providers, including Gmail, Outlook, and others, have built-in reporting features to help you report phishing before hackers reach thousands of victims. This may be as simple as using the “Report Phishing” button in Outlook or informing your organization’s IT team of any suspicious patterns and behaviors.
Advanced Detection & AI Integration
With attackers now evolving their strategies, defenses must also evolve. New tools now leverage AI, machine learning, and real-time detection to help flag and block phishing attempts more effectively.
Machine Learning & Behavioral Analysis
Platforms such as Darktrace analyze user behavior to help detect any anomalies, such as login times or suspicious email forwarding.
Real-Time Detection
Google’s TensorFlow now helps Gmail scan billions of emails daily and flag malicious links and attachments within seconds.
Visual and Metadata Forensics
- Email Header Analysis: Reviews “From” addresses, reply to any mismatches, and redirect chains.
- User Behavior Monitoring: Flags unauthorized downloads, looks into odd patterns and rapid file movements, which are all signs of compromised accounts.
Threat Intelligence Sharing
Join Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) or platforms like MISP, which offer information on phishing indicators and help to improve defenses.
Case Study: MGM Resorts (2023)
In 2023, MGM Resorts experienced a dangerous phishing-based breach attack. Hackers used social engineering to gain internal access to files and information, then deployed ransomware. The result?
MGM Resorts experienced a week of downtime, service outages, and a loss of $100 million.
The Lessons Learned:
- Lack of employee training and MFA left employees and systems vulnerable due to a lack of knowledge
- DMARC and monitoring could have flagged any malicious activity or access sooner.
- Comprehensive anti-phishing tools could have helped to prevent the initial compromise.
Final Words
Phishing isn’t just a nuisance, but a high-level threat to financial data, reputation, and regulatory compliance. This inclusion of anti-phishing measures in PCI DSS v4.0 and other global compliance requirements reflects the need for businesses to stay proactive in their security posture.
By combining employee training, technical defenses, and global threat intelligence, businesses can meet the right compliance standards and also stay aware to build secure payment and payroll infrastructures.
Security is an important aspect, with the rise of phishing tactics, continuous vigilance and adaptation are the only ways forward.
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