Phishing cyberattacks are on the rise, but Acronis helps stop them - opinion

Israelis have been facing many challenges in their daily lives in the past few months, and not all of them have to do with governments, protests or reforms.

While most people are familiar with phishing – cyberattacks disguised as messages from reputable sources – through emails and phone calls, a recent swarm of text-based phishing has stung individuals and institutions across the country. But, most people know not to click an unknown link from strangers claiming to be an exotic prince or a message saying they’ve won the lottery. So why are such attacks increasing in both frequency and severity?

The key differences in these phishing attacks are that they arrive from what appear to be very familiar, trustworthy sources directly into a person’s text messages. These phishing schemes are calculated, targeting individuals through institutions and apps they use every day – from supermarkets to Bit.

“Based on our estimates from the rise in phishing attacks last year, we expect the average cost of each data breach to surpass $5 million per attack globally in 2023,” said Candid Wuest, vice president of cyber protection research at Acronis. “Phishing now accounts for approximately 76% of all cyberattacks, and it’s increasingly difficult for everyday people to know what messages they receive are legitimate or an attempt to steal their personal information.”

“Phishing now accounts for approximately 76% of all cyberattacks, and it’s increasingly difficult for everyday people to know what messages they receive are legitimate or an attempt to steal their personal information.”

Candid Wuest

It’s easy enough to avoid clicking anything in your email’s spam folder. But it’s much harder to spot an attack when the message completely mimics one that a person receives from their bank or a tracking update on a package they’ve ordered. And once the link is opened and the data is seized, users are left with very few options to retrieve their most private information from a ransomware program.

Acronis: Helping protect against phishing attacks

Acronis, an internationally renowned leader in unified cybersecurity, warns users and companies to take extra steps in protecting their information from malicious actors. Founded in 2003, the company opened an Israeli office and cloud data center in 2021, offering solutions that match the ever-evolving security needs of businesses across industries.

Phishing attacks now also go beyond targeting individuals and can create waves at entire organizations. In February 2023, hackers used phishing methods to access and completely block the infrastructure at Technion University, demanding more than $1.7 million through a ransomware program to unlock it. Acronis also stresses how vital it is for institutions and businesses to educate employees on how to protect themselves from phishing due to its potentially devastating impacts.

“Our goal as a global leader in cyber protection is to ensure that as many people stay vigilant when it comes to all types of cyberattacks, especially phishing,” added Wuest. “With these kinds of attacks, our best advice to users is to exercise extreme caution when receiving texts or emails, even from reputable sources like their bank or an app they use all the time. Any sort of urgent matter or task that requires your personal information or verification should be handled through the company’s website or native app, not through text.”

As phishing becomes more sophisticated and tougher to recognize without proper warnings, Acronis ensures that organizations of all sizes stay protected from many possible attack paths. Its technology spans sectors and uses protective measures powered by machine learning and blockchain applications.

With cyberattacks showing no signs of slowing down, everyday people must stay mindful of being targeted. No hack is too small to pursue, and hackers won’t be swayed from utilizing trusted institutions we take for granted to access the most vulnerable and exploitable user data for their own gain.