Think of an ocean… It extends to infinity, takes its blue from the sky, and hosts thousands of living creatures. Let this ocean be such an ocean that the living creatures living in it will constantly multiply and this diversity will attract many fish. Everything looks perfect so far, doesn’t it? So what happens when fishermen start sailing with their boats in this huge ocean that is thought to be safe? Let’s take a look at ways to deal with fishermen, that is, hackers who try to hunt our information, in the ocean we create with our data…
What is Whaling? Who Do Whaling Attacks Target?
Many of us share our personal data with different websites for specific purposes. Name, surname, date of birth, address details, phone numbers and even credit card details… Our personal data, which can be processed and copied for purposes other than its intended purpose, is not only a part of cyber-attacks carried out secretly, but also of fraud methods applied by contacting us one to one. Whaling is one of the phishing attacks. This method targets senior executives of organizations or large companies. This concept, which we can also come across as “phishing”, actually refers to the bait thrown to drag the targeted people into an action. Institutions, companies and individuals who do not take cyber security measures are very vulnerable to be caught in whaling. In this method, malicious swindlers can request money by sending legitimate-looking emails or text messages to CEOs with the information they obtained by bypassing the identity firewall. Hunters with larger targets may take action to obtain information that people do not have in order to take over their bank accounts.
Attackers who manage to camouflage themselves professionally usually appear to be partners or trusted employees of CEOs. Doing this is not as difficult as you think… Taking advantage of a simple letter change is the simplest way imaginable. They also benefit from the practice of associating a mail address with a person’s name, as implemented in e-mail systems. So on a busy workday, an email to senior executives can look like it’s from their accountant or someone they need to pay. Thus, the targeted people voluntarily take action and carry out the instructions. When people who voluntarily transfer money or share information realize they’ve been caught in a whale hunt, it’s too late…
AuthTake Privileges in Identity Security
The whaling that we are talking about is just one of the attacks that exploit identity vulnerabilities. It is clear that identity information is not always shared freely… Every day that cybersecurity measures are not taken, it becomes possible for your data to be copied and intercepted without your permission. AuthTake provides you with professional support for both identity and access management. For example, if you are a senior manager, it offers solutions that you can control the access of your customers, employees and business partners. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) gives you alternatives such as QR Code login, biometric facial recognition, one-time passwords, and greatly reduces the risk of your accounts being stolen compared to password logins. In addition, thanks to the Risk-Based Authentication system, users requesting access are scanned to see if they pose a threat. With this way, foreign users trying to log in to your systems are detected early and their identities are verified with different options. One of the privileges of AuthTake is the chance to choose the most suitable identity and access management alternative for the needs of your organization or company. Since 2022, when phishing attacks based on credentials increased by 61%, protection from cyberattacks is of great importance for both individuals and organizations. If you want to take shelter in the safe harbor of AuthTake to escape from the nets and rods of fishermen in this huge ocean we created with our data, you can contact with us.
