The latest Phishing Activity Trends Report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) noted a significant increase in the number of unique phishing websites. For Q3 2019, the APWG detected 266,387 phishing sites - up 46% from Q2, and nearly double the number detected in Q4 2018.

These Q3 2019 findings represent the highest volume since Q4 2016, when the APWG detected 277,693 unique phishing sites. The report also offers insights into BEC cash-out tactics. In Q3, scammers requested gift cards in 56% of BEC attacks, followed by requests for payroll diversion (25%) and direct bank transfers (19%).

But while requests for gift cards were the most common, they represented small amounts: an average of $1,571. High Phishing Risks for Marketing and PR Professionals The APWG notes that this trend “is a clear indicator that users can’t rely on SSL alone to understand whether a site is safe or not.” In Q3, the number of phishing sites using HTTPS encryption continued to increase, with more than two-thirds using HTTPS.As in previous quarters, SaaS and webmail services were the most targeted industry sector in Q3, at 33% of all phishing attacks.Phishers attacked more than 400 different brands per month in Q3, a significant increase over Q2 (an average of 313 per month).Here are a few additional phishing insights: The less-common wire transfer requests averaged $52,325 and ranged from $2,530 to $850,790. The latest Protecting People report from Proofpoint presents cybersecurity threat data gathered between January and June of 2019. One key finding is that workers in marketing/public relations functions represented the highest overall risk from malware and phishing. The marketing/PR category was followed closely by facilities/internal support (which includes IT workers) and R&D/engineering. Why would people in marketing/PR be highly targeted? In part, it may be because the email addresses for these public-facing professions are often, well, public.

Press releases, for example, often include a PR professional’s detailed contact information. To learn more about attack trends in the first half of 2019 and to get recommendations on how to fight back, download the full report here.

Current phishing scams 2019