AI platforms, messaging apps, social media platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges were the most exploited in 2023, even as the number of phishing attempts thwarted reached 709 million, an increase of 40% from the previous year.
The annual analysis of spam and phishing threat landscape further revealed a persistent trend of growth in phishing attacks that continued to escalate in 2023, a report from Kaspersky said.
Attacks further intensified around the months of May and June, a trend that could be linked to the onset of the holiday season, during which scammers commonly propagate travel-related scams, such as counterfeit airline tickets, tours, and enticing hotel deals.
The widespread integration of technologies featuring built-in GPT chats further provided scammers new avenues to target victims.
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Additionally, security researchers observed a surge in attacks spread via messaging platforms, with scam links on Telegram witnessing a 22% increase.
The highest number of redirection attempts in messengers via phishing and scam links were blocked on devices owned by users in Russia, followed by Brazil and Turkey. Indian users were the fourth most targeted, followed by Germany, and Italy, where Telegram-based phishing links also grew.
“Phishing remains a prevalent threat in today’s digital landscape, constantly evolving to deceive unsuspecting users. Vigilance and skepticism are our strongest defenses against falling victim to these malicious schemes. Stay cautious, verify before you click, and protect your digital identity,” Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky said.
