Check Point Research Reveals Q2 2024 Brand Phishing Trends: Microsoft Tops List While New Entries Signal Shifting Threat Landscape

Check Point Research (CPR), the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP) and a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider, has released its latest Brand Phishing Ranking for Q2 2024. The ranking highlights the brands most frequently imitated by cybercriminals in their attempts to deceive individuals and steal personal information or payment credentials.

Omer Dembinsky, Data Group Manager at Check Point Software

For the second quarter this year, Microsoft remained the most imitated brand in phishing attacks, accounting for more than half of all attempts with 57%. Apple jumped to second spot with 10%, moving up from fourth position in the first quarter of 2024, and LinkedIn kept its previous third place ranking with 7% of such attempts. Meanwhile, there were new entries to the list with Adidas, WhatsApp, and Instagram moving into the top 10 for the first time since 2022.

The Technology sector remained the most impersonated industry in brand phishing, followed by Social Networks and Banking. Technology companies often hold sensitive information, including personal data, financial information, and access to other accounts, which makes them valuable targets for attackers. Companies such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon, who all appeared on the list, deliver essential and frequently used services such as email, cloud storage, and online shopping. That means people are more likely to respond to messages that appear to be from these critical service providers.

Omer Dembinsky, Data Group Manager at Check Point Software, emphasized the persistent threat of phishing attacks, stating, "Phishing attacks remain one of the most pervasive cyber threats and are often the entry point for much larger scale campaigns a supply chain. To protect against phishing attacks, users should always verify the sender's email address, avoid clicking on unsolicited links, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on their accounts. Additionally, using security software and keeping it updated can help detect and block phishing attempts.”

Top Phishing brands
Below are the top 10 brands ranked by their overall appearance in brand phishing events during Q2 2024:

• Microsoft (57%)

• Apple (10%)

• LinkedIn (7%)

• Google (6%)

• Facebook (1.8%)

• Amazon (1.6%)

• DHL (0.9%)

• Adidas (0.8%)

• WhatsApp (0.8%)

• Instagram (0.7%)

Adidas Phishing campaigns
Last quarter, Check Point Research observed several phishing campaigns targeting users by impersonating Adidas brand websites.

For instance, adidasyeezys(.)cz (Figure 1) and adidasyeezys(.)it (Figure 2) are designed to deceive victims into believing they are authentic Adidas Yeezy sites, closely mimicking the appearance of the legitimate Adidas site at https://news.adidas.com/yeezy. These fraudulent sites aim to lure users into entering their credentials and personal information, exploiting their resemblance to the original site to successfully steal information. Similarly, adidas-ozweego(.)fr (Figure 3) and adidascampus(.)co(.)at (Figure 4) mimic the official Adidas platform.

Furthermore, adidasoriginalss(.)fr currently appears inactive for phishing and instead hosts advertisements.

Figure 1, the phishing website: adidasyeezys(.)cz

Instagram Phishing campaigns
In the last quarter, researchers observed numerous campaigns utilizing the Instagram brand to perpetrate online scams. As a result, Instagram has risen to the 10th position on the list of top brands impacted by phishing, marking its first appearance there since 2022.

In recent months, CPR identified phishing campaigns impersonating Instagram to deceive users into divulging their login credentials. One instance involves a phishing page hosted at instagram-nine-flame).(vercel).(app/login (figure 1), which mimics Instagram's login interface. This page, hosted on Vercel, a platform for creating React applications, prompts users to enter their usernames and passwords.

Another observed campaign utilized the domain instagram-verify-account).(tk (figure 2). Although currently inactive, it previously displayed a message designed to trick users into entering personal information under the guise of verifying their Instagram accounts. Such tactics aim to exploit trust and deceive users into compromising their credentials.

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About Check Point Research
Check Point Research provides leading cyber threat intelligence to Check Point Software customers and the greater intelligence community. The research team collects and analyzes global cyber-attack data stored on ThreatCloud to keep hackers at bay, while ensuring all Check Point products are updated with the latest protections. The research team consists of over 100 analysts and researchers cooperating with other security vendors, law enforcement and various CERTs.

About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. 
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider protecting over 100,000 organizations worldwide. Check Point leverages the power of AI everywhere to enhance cyber security efficiency and accuracy through its Infinity Platform, with industry-leading catch rates enabling proactive threat anticipation and smarter, faster response times. The comprehensive platform includes cloud-delivered technologies consisting of Check Point Harmony to secure the workspace, Check Point CloudGuard to secure the cloud, Check Point Quantum to secure the network, and Check Point Infinity Core Services for collaborative security operations and services.