Microsoft continues to be the most imitated brand by cyber-criminals, according to the latest findings from Check Point Research. 

The cybersecurity firm has released its latest Brand Phishing Ranking detailing phishing trends for the third quarter of 2024, with the tech giant accounting for the vast majority of brand phishing attempts, with 61%.

Meanwhile, Apple maintains second position with 12%, while Google has climbed to third place with 7%. 

China-based Alibaba (1.1%) appeared among the top 10 for the first time, at seventh place, while Adobe (0.8%) re-entered the rankings at number eight, its first appearance since Q2 2022. 

Rounding out the top ten are Facebook (3%), WhatsApp (1.2%), Amazon (1.2%), X (0.8%), and Adidas (0.6%).

The gulf between Microsoft imitations and those of any other brand shows that the technology sector is still the most impersonated industry, with the data showing it’s followed by social networking companies and banks.

According to an earlier report from Check Point, at the beginning of 2024 Microsoft accounted for 33% of all brand phishing attempts, rising to 38% by the end of Q1 2024.

That explosion of imitation attempts prompted Check Point to release a report this month detailing the more than 5,000 spoofed Microsoft notifications for employees to look out for, including fake admin emails and requests for account verification.

Research shows that criminals posing as Microsoft use styles so duplicative of what users expect that imitations can be hard to spot. These spoofs often play on IT anxieties, for example creating fake alerts about threats to devices or unsent emails, to force users to click on fake login pages or portals, unleashing malicious content.

Aside from Microsoft, Check Point found a surge in new phishing websites, particularly targeting users of WhatsApp and Alibaba. 

Check Point claims that there is a broad trend of spoofed websites, designed to mimic a WhatsApp security centre, including domains close to WhatsApp’s own, which prompt users to enter personal information, such as phone numbers and locations, under the pretence of resolving account issues. 

Recommended reading

• Ransomware Groups are Adjusting Their Strategies
• Comment | The Rise in QR Code Attacks
• 82% of Phishing Toolkits Use Deepfakes

Recent studies show that cyber-criminals are becoming increasingly creative in their attempts to lure victims. This month, cybersecurity provider Egress found that 89% of phishing emails on its platform involved brand impersonation, with the most prevalent payload being malicious hyperlinks.

Even more concerning is the rising use of AI technology in phishing tactics, with Egress’ report finding that 82% of phishing toolkits on the dark web mentioned the use of deepfakes and 75% referenced AI, with such toolkits being freely available for as little as $300 (£228), often including brand impersonation templates.