DHL Replaces Microsoft As Most Imitated Brand By Hackers: Read Full List Inside

NEW DELHI: With increased COVID instances during the holiday season, DHL surpassed Microsoft and Google as the brand most commonly mimicked by cybercriminals. As WhatsApp and LinkedIn rated higher in the Top 10 List of Most Mimicked Brands, social media reinforces its position among the top three industries imitated in phishing attempts.

Check Point researchers discovered DHL’s brand in 23% of all phishing assaults they saw internationally. Microsoft came in second place with 20%, followed by WhatsApp with 11% and Google with 10%.

LinkedIn, Amazon, FedEx, Roblox, PayPal, and Apple round out the list. Check Point Software’s data research group manager, Omer Dembinsky, said it’s vital to remember that hackers are opportunists who will often take advantage of consumer trends by impersonating popular companies.

“It’s important to remember that cybercriminals are opportunists first and foremost. In their attempts to steal peoples’ personal data or deploy malware onto a user’s machine, criminal groups will often take advantage of consumer trends by imitating popular brands,” Dembinsky said.

He added that this quarter, for the first time, we’ve seen global logistics company DHL top the rankings as the most likely brand to be imitated, presumably to capitalize on the soaring number of new and potentially vulnerable online shoppers during the year’s busiest retail period.

WHAT IS A BRAND PHISHING ATTACK?

In a brand phishing assault, thieves attempt to replicate the official website of a well-known brand by using a domain name or URL and web-page design that is similar to the genuine site. The link to the bogus website can be delivered to certain individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected while browsing the web, or it might be activated by a malicious mobile application. A form on the bogus website is frequently used to steal users’ credentials, financial information, or other personal information.

Top 10 Most Imitated Brands in 2021

Below are the top brands ranked by their overall appearance in brand phishing attempts:

DHL (related to 23% of all phishing attacks globally)

Microsoft (20%)

WhatsApp (11%)

Google (10%)

LinkedIn (8%)

Amazon (4%)

FedEx (3%)

Roblox (3%)

Paypal (2%)

Apple (2%)

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