Phishing Attacks Continue to Rise, Proofpoint Reports
.jpg)
While the volume of phishing attacks grew in 2018, Proofpoint found that there were also several positive trends that helped organizations reduce cyber-security risk.
Phishing remains an active threat vector with the volume of attacks growing, according Proofpoint's 2019 State of the Phish report, released on Jan. 24.
In a phishing attack, a hacker aims to trick a user into clicking on some form of malicious link that is hidden with an email. The study found that in 2018, 83 percent of global infosecurity respondents were impacted by phishing attacks, up from 76 percent in 2017. Targeted phishing attacks known as spear phishing also were on the rise from 53 percent in 2017 up to 64 percent in 2018. Among the key findings in the report was also the simple fact that not all employees within organizations actually understand cyber-security terms and their associated risks. For example, in the U.S., only 65 percent of individuals actually could correctly explain what phishing is.
"Terms like ‘phishing’ and ‘ransomware’ are second nature for security professionals because they are spoken within IT departments each and every day," Amy Baker, vice president of Security Awareness Training Strategy and Development for Proofpoint, told eWEEK. "That is simply not the case for the rest of the organization."
Baker added that for a significant portion of the workforce, employees only encounter security terms during communication with the IT team. She noted that it is critical that infosecurity professionals keep in mind the learning curve associated with cyber-security awareness and ensure that they communicate in a way that employees can understand, process and learn. Awareness of cyber-security terms also varied by age, but with a somewhat non-intuitive result.
"It was surprising that despite being raised on technology from a young age, Millennials were found to be the least cyber-aware, as they fell significantly behind at least one other age group on all cyber-security terminology questions," Baker said. "Baby Boomers, who are often thought of as the least technologically-savvy generation, outperformed all groups in the fundamental understanding of phishing and ransomware."
Phishing Attack Impact
There are several different outcomes that can occur from a successful phishing attack, including loss of data, malware infections and compromised accounts. Baker noted that 65 percent of infosecurity professionals surveyed reported that their organizations dealt with account compromise resulting from a phishing attack in 2018. That figure is an increase from only 38 percent in 2017.
"While we did not ask about business email compromise in this survey, our respondents did share that successful phishing attacks led to a loss of funds," she said. "In addition, the number of organizations that experienced data loss as a result of phishing attacks more than tripled between 2016 and 2018."
Positive Trends
While phishing attacks grew in 2018, there were a number of positive cyber-security trends that the Proofpoint study was able to identify.
Two findings in the report stand out as extremely positive, Baker said. One is that 57 percent of infosecurity professionals have quantified a reduction in phishing susceptibility because of training programs. Another positive finding identified in the study is that 59 percent of suspicious emails reported by end users in 2018 were classified as potential phishing.
"These two findings demonstrate that security awareness training effectively educates employees on the latest cyber-security trends," Baker said.
She added that the positive results also show that security awareness training helps IT teams ensure that employees are prepared to identify malicious emails, reducing the success rates of phishing attacks. Looking forward, Baker is hopeful that training will continue to have an impact in the years ahead.
"We expect to see a continued rise in reported quantifiable reductions in phishing susceptibility, as organizations continue to train their employees and security awareness training vendors continue to enhance their solutions," she said.
source eweek
Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities