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Clone phishing is a subset of phishing. It refers to an email that has been cloned from an original message sent by an organization. The recipient might receive this type of email after they have started communication, or it may be unsolicited. The cloned emails appear legitimate and can trick the user into giving up information. The cyber attacker gains access to sensitive data through their fake website, which looks identical to the original website.
Clone phishing has evolved into a cyber security threat & is often targeted at high-profile individuals because of increased interest in their affairs. For example, people who work in politics or at large corporations are frequently targeted because clone phishing offers a way for attackers to explore financial information about these individuals' activities inside and outside their organizations.
Additionally, clone phishing is carried out through a spoofed email sent from a location outside an organization. The emails contain a link or attachment that links to a malicious version of the website which swaps information with the attacker.
The only difference between clone phishing and regular phishing attacks is that all of the original data remains intact, but it has been duplicated. This technique can also be used to trick the victim into taking action by cloning one message into another that looks exactly like it.
Attackers use clone phishing because they will receive an automatic welcome response from real employees at their target's company after sending unsolicited messages. When this email arrives, the attackers have enough information about computers and internet security protocols to create an effectual online scam.
The effectiveness of clone phishing depends on the quality of the email messages that have been cloned. Attackers can use a real message as it arrives, intercept and change its contents or send their own version before the legitimate sender presses "send". The result is that recipients receive information from a source they trust, but which has actually been sent by someone else with malicious intent.
Clone phishing attacks seek to fool employees into giving away sensitive data such as passwords for business applications, accounts and financial records. Users may also be asked to open attachments in these messages to download malware onto their computer systems. This allows attackers to access all files and programs on an individual's device, steal personal information such as banking details and gain control over an individual's computer.
The success of clone phishing attacks depends on how quickly an attacker can access a target's information before security staff realize that the data has been compromised. When an employee is targeted, these attacks are often well-crafted to ensure they go undetected for several days or weeks until further damage is done.
Clone phishing is also known as "spoofing", because attackers create messages which are identical in content and appearance to genuine emails sent by legitimate companies or individuals.
What Does Clone Phishing Look Like?
The appearance and format of clone phishing emails can vary depending on the sender's purpose. Some messages appear to be sent by a real person at the company, accompanied by copy and pasted content from a genuine message. Other spoof emails include attachments which claim to offer important information such as invoices or vehicle shipping notices. All of these messages attempt to make users think they are legitimate and should be opened immediately without further inspection.
Implement a comprehensive, fully-managed cloud email security solution. Investing in an advanced, multi-layered email security solution that prevents all malicious and fraudulent emails from reaching the inbox is the most effective way to prevent clone phishing and other dangerous social engineering and impersonation attacks.
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