Smishing Attacks

Smishing: How To Protect Yourself

Smishing has evolved to target not only our emails but also our phones. Learn how to protect yourself from falling victim to this cyber threat.

Smishing is a form of social engineering that uses SMS text messages to manipulate victims into disclosing sensitive information, such as personal data, banking credentials, or access to secure systems.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what smishing is, how it works, and what you can do to protect yourself from falling victim to this growing threat.

What is Smishing?

Smishing is essentially phishing, but it happens through text messages instead of emails. It typically involves a criminal sending a fraudulent SMS that appears to be from a legitimate source, like your bank, government agency, or even a well-known company.

These messages usually contain a link or phone number, encouraging you to respond or click, leading you to a malicious website or prompting you to divulge sensitive information.

Here’s an example of a typical smishing attempt:

“Urgent! Your account has been compromised. Click here to verify your identity: [malicious link].”

Once the victim clicks on the link or follows the instructions, they could be led to a fraudulent website designed to steal their personal information or infect their device with malware.

How Does Smishing Work?

Smishing attacks often follow a pattern to trick victims into taking action:

  1. Fake Authority: The attacker pretends to be a trusted entity—banks, government agencies, tech companies, or delivery services like FedEx or UPS.
  2. Urgent or Scare Tactics: The message often creates a sense of urgency, claiming the victim’s account has been compromised or there’s a problem that needs immediate attention.
  3. Call to Action: The message urges the victim to click a link, call a phone number, or reply with personal details.
  4. Harvesting Data: Once the victim clicks the link, they may be directed to a phishing website that asks for sensitive information, or they may be prompted to download malware.

Why Smishing is Dangerous

Here are reasons why to protect yourself from Smishing attacks and why they have become particularly dangerous:

  • Ease of Use: Everyone has a phone, and text messages are often perceived as more trustworthy than emails, making it easier to trick people into responding.
  • High Open Rate: SMS messages have a very high open rate, and people tend to open them almost immediately, increasing the chance of successful attacks.
  • Disguising the Source: Fraudsters can spoof phone numbers to make it seem like the message is coming from a legitimate or familiar source, such as your bank, a friend, or a service you use.

Real-World Examples of Smishing

  • Banking Alerts: A message claiming your bank account is locked or that there’s unusual activity, prompting you to click a link to “verify” your identity. The link leads to a fake website where you enter your login credentials, which the attacker can then use for unauthorized transactions.
  • Package Delivery: A text saying a delivery is waiting for you, and you need to click a link to schedule delivery or update payment details. The link could direct you to a scam site asking for your credit card information.
  • Tax Scams: A text message that claims to be from the IRS or other tax authorities, stating you owe money and need to take immediate action by clicking a link or calling a number. This often leads to a fake payment page or gives attackers the ability to impersonate an official.

How to Protect Yourself from Smishing

MVR Group can help protect you and your business with a team of cybersecurity experts monitoring your IT landscape 24/7 as well as provide cyber training monthly to your team to provide education and awareness to these ongoing threats.

Here are some tips you can do own your own to protect yourself:

  1. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Messages: If you receive a message asking for personal or financial information, don’t respond immediately. Legitimate organizations rarely ask for sensitive details via SMS.
  2. Verify Contact Information: If the message seems suspicious, contact the company or organization directly through official channels, such as their website or customer service number, to verify the claim.
  3. Don’t Click on Links: Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited SMS messages. If you must, make sure you double-check the URL for any signs of it being fake (like misspellings or unusual domain names).
  4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Always enable 2FA on your sensitive accounts, especially banking and email accounts. This adds an extra layer of security if an attacker gains access to your credentials.
  5. Use Anti-Virus Software: Install reputable security software on your phone to help detect and block malicious links or apps that may be installed through smishing.
  6. Report Suspicious Texts: Many countries allow you to report smishing attempts to your phone carrier. For example, in the U.S., you can forward suspicious SMS messages to 7726 (SPAM) for investigation.
  7. Educate Others: Share information about smishing with friends and family, especially older individuals who may be less familiar with the risks of SMS-based scams.

Conclusion

Smishing is an increasingly prevalent threat in today’s interconnected world. With the rapid rise of mobile phone usage and the growing sophistication of cybercriminals, it’s essential to stay vigilant and proactive in protecting yourself.

Call MVR Group today to learn how our team of cybersecurity experts can help protect your business and your employees from being the next cyber victim.