The More You Know: Lifecycle of Phishing Websites and Pages

phishing websitesIndustry experts who provide network security for small business and mid-size business clients spend many hours researching the ins and outs of cyber criminals in Boston and the surrounding area. The more we can learn about how phishing websites and pages work, the easier it will eventually be to prevent future attacks and catch up with criminals before they get away. Anti-phishing programs and services focus more on prevention and recovery more than anything else because it can be so challenging to track down whoever is behind the attacks. One recent study published by Kaspersky has discovered that more than 25 percent of phishing sites and pages are removed within just 13 hours – no wonder these criminals are so hard to identify and catch!

Phishing Websites: Gone Within Days – or Hours

This new research reveals something that many suspected about phishing attacks but never really had the data to prove. Most phishing websites and pages simply disappear or go entirely inactive within a matter of days. However, some cyber criminals in Boston and around the world move even faster, fully abandoning or removing pages and entire websites within just a few hours. While this only relates to approximately one-fourth of all phishing sites, the remaining three-quarters ultimately stop showing any sign of activity within 30-days.

With so many businesses impacted by the damage that can come from a cyberattack, it is no wonder that companies offering network security for small business and mid-size organizations are working overtime to find solutions. Synivate provides a wide range of management, monitoring, prevention, and recovery services for our clients in the Greater Boston area. One of the most beneficial aspects of our anti-phishing programs is the employee education, training, and support that is designed to prevent most attacks from ever happening in the first place. Recovery services, including a comprehensive backup program and ongoing IT support, can help those impacted get back in business within hours.

Knowledge is Power

When it comes to preventing attacks and identifying cyber criminals in Boston, the more we can learn about how they operate, the better. The lifecycle of phishing websites and pages helps researchers and network security professionals to gain insight into how these criminals work. For example, most phishing websites rely heavily on the use of spoofed domain names and designs created to closely mimic legitimate websites that the targets would recognize and know. Major software development companies, financial institutions, and other organizations are frequently used to make the phishing site seem real.

Throughout the targeted attack, researchers also discovered that the majority of phishing pages remain unchanged while they are active. They also tend to replicate things that work, meaning that if a particular design or use of a legitimate website has worked once to help them achieve their goals, they will likely use it again in the future. Domain names are faked through the use of dynamic DNS websites, which utilize subdomains that can be registered to replicate known websites. Many security experts recommend the blocking of these DNS websites, such as DuckDNS, a popular service used by cyber criminals in Boston and all around the world.

Professional Services and Support

Synivate offers our clients a wide range of professional services and support to provide comprehensive network security for small business and mid-size organizations in the Greater Boston area. To prevent potentially damaging attacks via phishing websites and pages, we provide managed services, network security solutions, and ongoing support designed to help you and your team stay in business. Our backup and recovery services can help you to get back on track following an attack, power outage, or weather-related natural disaster. Contact our team today to learn more about our innovative technology solutions that will help you to overcome your technology and communication gaps for your small to mid-size business. You can reach our team by calling 617-848-1248 or by using our online contact form to reach out to a team member. Take advantage of our free resources, including a downloadable e-Book, network assessments, and IT evaluations designed to help you better understand your existing technology and needs to protect your business now and in the future.

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