DHL Replaces LinkedIn As Most Imitated Brand in Phishing Attempts

Shipping company DHL has knocked LinkedIn off the top spot as the number one brand being imitated in phishing attempts between July and September.

The data comes from Check Point’s Q3 Brand Phishing Report, which the company shared with Infosecurity earlier today.

According to the new data, DHL now accounts for just under a quarter (22%) of all phishing attempts worldwide. Check Point has said this is due partly to a significant global scam and phishing attack that the logistics firm warned about days before the quarter started.

Microsoft is in second place (16%), and LinkedIn has fallen into third, accounting for just 11% of scams, compared to 52% in Q1 and 45% in Q2.

“In Q3, we saw a dramatic reduction in the number of phishing attempts related to LinkedIn, which reminds us that cyber-criminals will often switch their tactics to increase their chances of success,” said Omer Dembinsky, data research group manager at Check Point.

“It is still the third most commonly impersonated brand, though, so we’d urge all users to stay mindful of any emails or communications purporting to be from LinkedIn.”

Instagram has also emerged in the top 10 list for the first time this quarter after a ‘blue-badge’ related phishing campaign in September. 

As for industries most affected by phishing in Q3, shipping resulted at the top in the Check Point report, followed by technology.

“Now that DHL is the brand most likely to be imitated, it’s crucial that anyone expecting a delivery goes straight to the official website to check progress and/or notifications,” Dembinsky warned. “Do not trust any emails, particularly those asking for information to be shared.”

For more information about the other brands most frequently imitated by criminals in Q3, you can read Check Point’s latest Brand Phishing Report here.

Its publication comes days after cybersecurity researchers at CloudSEK discovered several phishing domains impersonating Absher, the Saudi government service portal.