Resources

Blog

DMARC Quarantine vs. DMARC Reject: Which Should You Implement?

You did it! You can now take a quiz and accurately answer "What Is DMARC?"! Next you've generated your DMARC record, implemented your policy, and authenticated your email domains. DMARC is no easy feat in itself and now, after DNS requests, third-party conference calls and writing internal policies, you are ready...to enforce a stricter DMARC policy ! If your DMARC policy has been set to p=none...
Blog

Understanding how Polymorphic and Metamorphic malware evades detection to infect systems

Polymorphic and metamorphic malware constantly changes itself in order to avoid detection and persistently remain on the system. This adaptive behavior is the main distinctive attribute of these types of malware, which is also why they are harder to detect; it is also why they pose a great threat to systems. On the surface, the functionality of this sort of changing and mutating malware appears...
Blog

99% of User-Related Threats Are Email Impersonation Attempts

Threats in corporate inboxes hit new highs with a quarter of all reported emails classified as malicious or untrustworthy. 99% of these threats were email impersonation threats, such as BEC and credential theft lures, that lack attachments or URLs delivering malware payloads. Cybercriminals continue to bypass traditional email security tools and reach end users by impersonating individuals...
Blog

Free Domain Abuse Plummets in Q1 as Staging Methods Shift

Free domain registrations used to stage phishing sites have experienced a significant drop in activity, contributing to just under 2% of phishing abuse in Q1. Free domain registrations and other no-cost means of staging phishing infrastructures are historically a favorite of threat actors. While no-cost methods as a whole did make up the majority of abuse in Q1, the decline in free domains can be...
Blog

DRP Solutions Market Guide

The demand for Digital Risk Protection (DRP) is on the rise as cybercriminals are increasingly targeting businesses on channels outside the corporate firewall. According to Frost & Sullivan’s 2022 Frost Radar Global DRP Report , the traditional security perimeter has changed, and unlike phishing attacks that can be managed and mitigated through internal controls, these threats live on spaces not...
Blog

DKIM vs. SPF Email Standards: Do I Need Them Both?

When it comes to email authentication standards, should you use DKIM, SPF, or both? We’re going to cover these terms, when you should use them, what they do—and how best to protect your email domains. Is it Either/Or—or Both? Should the battle really be SPF vs. DKIM? While not mandatory, it’s highly recommended to use both SPF and DKIM to protect your email domains from spoofing attacks and fraud...
Blog

QBot Campaigns Overwhelmingly Lead Reported Payloads in Q4

QBot was the most reported payload targeting employee inboxes in Q4, according to Fortra’s PhishLabs. This is the fourth consecutive month QBot has led malware activity as bad actors target organizations with a steady stream of high-volume attack campaigns. QBot previously represented the second most reported payload family, trailing behind RedLine Stealer in Q3. Email payloads remain the primary...
Blog

DKIM Guide: How to Set Up the Email Standard Step by Step

In this DKIM setup guide, we’ll walk you through the steps on how to set up DKIM correctly, test it, avoid common pitfalls, and fix common mistakes. In case you’re new to DKIM, or DomainKeys Identified Mail, we’ll start with a high-level overview before getting to the step-by-step instructions, but you can first look up your DKIM record here . What is DKIM? A Brief Introduction DKIM is a standard...
Blog

What is a DMARC Policy?: The 3 Types Which to Use

In this post, we’ll briefly explain what a DMARC policy is , how to set up your DMARC email record, what the three types of DMARC policies are and when to implement each one, and how to diagnose and fix any issues associated with it. Basically, your DMARC policy tells email receivers what to do with illegitimate or possibly fraudulent emails—whether to reject, quarantine, or accept them. Overall...
On-Demand Webinar

ҰourDoma1п.com: How Look-alike Domains Drive BEC, Brand Abuse, and More

Domains are often the first source of interaction with customers. However, anyone can register a look-alike domain, create a fraudulent website, and start impersonating a trusted company – quickly diminishing brand credibility. In this webinar, PhishLabs’ Founder and CTO, John LaCour, will cover why cyber criminals register hundreds of thousands of look-alike domains every year and how they use...
Blog

RedLine Stealer Leads Payloads in Q3

In Q3, Redline Stealer represented nearly half of all malware attacks targeting corporate user inboxes. This is the first quarter Redline has led payload volume since PhishLabs began reporting on malware activity. Email payloads remain the primary delivery method of ransomware targeting organizations. PhishLabs continuously monitors payload families reported in corporate inboxes to help mitigate...
On-Demand Webinar

Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Webinar (August 2022)

John Wilson, Senior Fellow for Threat Research at Agari by Fortra Throughout Q2, Agari and PhishLabs detected and mitigated hundreds of thousands of phishing, social media, email, and dark web threats targeting a broad range of enterprises and brands. The Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Report provides an analysis of the latest findings and insights into key trends shaping the threat...
Blog

Top 4 Threats to Retail Brands

Cyber attacks targeting retail brands have increased dramatically over the last year. Since Q3 2021, retail has experienced a nearly 500% increase in attacks on social media alone. Counterfeit websites and look-alike domains are also among the top threats to online retailers. Attackers incorporate stolen designs and trademarks to stand up counterfeit sites, outbid legitimate businesses with...
Blog

Q1 Phishing Volume Consistent, Up Over Q4

In Q1, more than 51% of phishing sites abused paid services, according to the Agari and PhishLabs Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Report. This is the first time in five consecutive quarters where the majority of phishing sites were staged using Paid Domain Registrations or Compromised Sites. Phishing volume as a whole continues to increase in 2022 in comparison to the same time period last...
Blog

Vishing Attacks Are at an All-Time High, Report Finds

Vishing attacks have increased almost 550 percent over the last twelve months, according to Agari and PhishLabs’ Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Report . The May report uses hundreds of thousands of phishing and social media threats analyzed and mitigated by Agari and PhishLabs, both of which are part of the Fortra cybersecurity portfolio. By identifying and mitigating attacks targeting...
Blog

Why BitB Attacks are Concerning

PhishLabs has identified a Browser-in-the-Browser (BitB) campaign targeting financial institutions with a fake Office 365 (O365) authorization protocol. The attack is delivered via phishing email and redirects the victim to a website impersonating an O365 single sign-on (SSO) page. A BitB attack is a novel phishing technique that replicates pop-up windows used for SSO in an effort to steal login...
On-Demand Webinar

Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Webinar (May 2022)

Throughout Q1, Agari and PhishLabs detected and mitigated hundreds of thousands of phishing, social media, email, and dark web threats targeting a broad range of enterprises and brands. The Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Report provides an analysis of the latest findings and insights into key trends shaping the threat landscape. Join our Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence webinar...
Blog

Qbot Payloads Dominate Q1

Qbot payloads targeting enterprises contributed to almost three quarters of all email-based malware since the beginning of 2022. Although reported malware activity among families continues to fluctuate dramatically from quarter to quarter, QBot reports in Q1 represent the highest volume of a single malware variety over the past 12 months. Phishing lures delivering payloads remain the primary...
Blog

Understanding the What, How, and Why of DMARC

Courtesy of Agari by Fortra. You probably already know this, but it bears repeating: Email by itself is NOT secure; anyone can use someone else’s identity to send emails. In fact, email is the #1 way cyberattackers can target your customers and your email ecosystem. No brand is untouchable when it comes to attackers using or spoofing email domains to send spam, phishing attempts, malware, or...
Blog

Vishing Volume Increases 554% in 2021

Hybrid Vishing attacks have increased 554% in volume, according to PhishLabs’ Quarterly Threat Trends & Intelligence Report . Response-Based attacks such as these, combined with Credential Theft and Malware Delivery, collectively represent the top online attack vector targeting corporate users. Every quarter, PhishLabs analyzes hundreds of thousands of phishing and social media attacks targeting...