According to Decrypt, as the summer travel season approaches and travelers embark on their journeys, cybercriminals are turning to new technologies to commit fraud and steal data, including artificial intelligence email phishing attacks and fake phone chargers. Seat waiting techniques lure passengers into a trap.

Phishing surges after generative AI tools launch

According to a recent report from cybersecurity firm SlashNext, the number of email phishing attacks has increased 856% in the past year. This rapid growth is driven in part by generative AI, a technology that allows scammers to simultaneously Phishing emails are written in multiple languages, which has resulted in a 4151% increase in the number of malicious emails since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022.

SlashNext CEO Patrick Harr said in an interview with Decrypt:

“Threat actors can prompt an AI to compose an email in any language quickly and at virtually no cost. You’ll see these (phishing letters) are not just in English — they can be written in multiple languages ​​and targeted to different parts of the world. crowd, and it can be done in seconds.”

Source: SlashNext

Phishing attacks involve sending a message to an unsuspecting victim to click on a link and connect to a malicious website or application, tricking the user into submitting personal or security information, such as a password. In January of this year, cybercriminals hacked into email service provider MailerLite and launched phishing attacks targeting the emails of users of the encrypted platform, defrauding more than $700,000.

A recent report in the International Business Times highlighted the sharp increase in phishing attacks targeting business and leisure travelers, which include posting fake messages on fake websites and offering deep discounts, for example, by labeling each product on other websites. Accommodation in the Swiss Alps costs US$1,000 per night, but the scam website lures users with a price discount of US$200 per night.

Marnie Wilking, chief security officer of booking website Booking.com, said in an interview that phishing activities began to increase soon after the launch of ChatGPT. Scammers can now use generative AI tools to write scams in multiple languages ​​​​with good grammar. Letters, and even hotel operators may mistakenly open attachments containing malicious software in fraudulent letters in order to solve customer problems.

Wilking advises travelers and hoteliers to use two-factor authentication to ensure security, not to click on anything that looks suspicious, and to check with hotels, owners and customer service even if they are even remotely suspicious.

SMS Phishing

SlashNext's Harr said a newer form of phishing, "smishing," is an increasingly popular and dangerous attack technique. This type of phishing attack attacks mobile phone users by attaching fake links to text message services.

Harr also said businesses started using QR codes during the coronavirus pandemic, and now scammers are taking advantage of these ubiquitous barcodes. Citing a recent Verizon report, he said:

"Eighty percent of phones actually have no protection against phishing. So that's why they use QR codes - to try to get you to pay for something, to reveal sensitive information about you or to steal your passwords."

charging trap

While phishing attacks remain the most common attack vector used by cybercriminals, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued a warning about “juice jacking,” a type of attack commonly targeted at airports and airports. Travelers charging their devices at the hotel.

Attackers are taking advantage of technology built into the universal USB standard, which can transfer not only power but also data. A maliciously configured USB port or connector could steal information or install unwanted software when plugged into a victim's device.

The FCC recommends avoiding free charging stations at airports, hotels or shopping malls to protect against this emerging attack type, and instead use a personal charger that plugs into a basic electrical outlet, use a portable battery, or use a data blocker to secure USB connectivity Power transmission only.

Source: FBI Denver

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