What are Smishing Attacks?

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Smishing attacks (SMS phishing) involve sending fraudulent SMS (short message service) messages to individuals to gather sensitive information or install malware on their device. These messages often contain a link that, when clicked, directs the recipient to a spoof website designed to look like a legitimate site in order to trick them into entering personal or financial information.

These attacks can mimic legitimate institutions such as banks or job offers and require vigilance from both individuals and IT security professionals.

Here are a few common examples.

Examples of Smishing Attacks

Examples of smishing attacks include fake alerts from banks asking for login credentials, notifications about package deliveries requiring payment before release, links to adult social media platforms and even fraudulent job offers promising high salaries.

Account Verification Scams: Texts impersonating banks or other services claiming that the user’s account has been locked or compromised. They often include a link to a fake website to “verify” the user’s account details.

Delivery Scams: Messages pretending to be from delivery services like FedEx or UPS, stating there’s a package for the recipient which requires them to click a link or confirm personal details to schedule delivery.

Bank Alert Scams: Texts alleging to be from a bank, warning of suspicious activity on an account. The message urges the recipient to confirm their identity by clicking a link, which leads to a phishing site.

Tax Refund Scams: SMS messages from entities pretending to be tax authorities, informing the recipient about a tax refund owed to them. These messages include links to forms where personal and banking information is requested.

Contest Winner Scams: Messages claiming the recipient has won a contest or lottery, prompting them to claim their prize by providing personal details or paying a small processing fee through a deceptive link.

Credit Card Deactivation Scams: Messages purporting to be from the recipient’s credit card provider, warning that their credit card has been deactivated due to suspicious activity. The message usually includes a link or a phone number to contact in order to “reactivate” the card, leading to a phishing site or a scam call center.

Gift Card Scams: SMS messages claiming that the recipient has been selected to receive a free gift card from a popular retailer. To claim the gift card, recipients are asked to click on a link and enter personal information, which can then be used for identity theft or other fraudulent purposes.

Taking all of this into consideration, it is important for IT security professionals to be aware of this growing threat and take measures such as educating employees on how to identify and avoid suspicious messages, implementing two-factor authentication methods for logins, and regularly updating software and anti-virus programs.

How to Detect, Prevent & Respond to Smishing Attacks

Detection & Prevention

Preventing smishing attacks requires both employee awareness training and technical controls.

Employee training should focus on much of what has been covered above, along with recognizing common tactics used by attackers (such as urgency or fear-based messaging) and providing clear instructions on how employees should respond or report suspicious messages.

In addition, technical controls such as firewalls, anti-virus software, and access controls can help prevent these types of attacks from reaching employees in the first place.

Some of these controls include:

Using anti-spam filters and firewalls to block suspicious messages: This helps in identifying and blocking phishing attempts before they even reach the user’s device.

Device security measures (e.g., two-factor authentication): By implementing this control, users are required to provide an extra layer of verification, making it difficult for unauthorized persons to access sensitive information.

Secure text messaging solutions: These solutions encrypt messages end-to-end, ensuring that only authorized personnel can read them.

While these technical controls do not offer a foolproof solution against smishing attacks, their implementation reduces the risk of successful attacks on organizations.

Best Practices for Responding to Smishing Attacks

When it comes to responding to smishing attacks, there are a few best practices that every employee should keep in mind.

Firstly, they should never click on links or download attachments from unknown numbers, as this can lead to malware being installed on their device.

Secondly, they shoudn’t provide sensitive information via text message such as passwords or account details, as legitimate companies will not ask for this information over SMS.

Lastly, if they suspect that a smishing attack has targeted them, they should report the incident immediately to IT support or their company’s security team to prevent further harm.

Learn more about checking links for phishing

By following these best practices, employees can help protect themselves and their company from the potentially devastating effects of smishing attacks.

Remember—always err on the side of caution when it comes to suspicious texts and report any concerns immediately to ensure timely and effective resolution.