A ramble
Phishing attacks are one of the most prevalent cyber threats organizations of all sizes face today. They pose a great threat to the security of an organization’s data, networks, and systems. This paper aims to provide organizations with an understanding of the phishing threat, how to prepare for and mitigate the risk of these attacks, and provide guidance on how to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a breach. Additionally, the paper will provide organizations with free or open source tools that can help them get started in their preparation for and mitigation of phishing attacks.
Introduction
Phishing attacks, as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, are “social engineering attacks that rely on human interaction and involve tricking people into breaking normal security procedures in order to gain access to protected systems, services, or data” (NIST, Phishing). These attacks are used to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and financial data, by pretending to be a legitimate entity in order to gain the trust of the target. Phishing attacks have become one of the most pervasive threats to organizations today, and they can have devestating consquences if they are successful.
In order to protect their networks, data, and systems, organizations must have a robust security strategy that focuses on both preventing and responding quickly to potential threats – and this strategy should include protections against phishing attacks. The following sections will describe how organizations can prepare for, mitigate, and respond to phishing attacks.
Preparing for Phishing Attacks
There are several steps organizations can take to prepare for potential phishing attacks, as outlined by the US-Cert in their “10 Steps to Protect Your Network from Phishing Attacks” document (US-CERT, Protect Your Network).
- Develop a comprehensive security policy and internal procedures to help protect against, respond to, and recove from phishing attacks
- Provide cyber security training to employees on how to spot and report phishing attacks
- Install anti-spam and anti-malware software and systems to detect and block phishing emails
- Update all software programs to the latest versions
- Establish strong password policies and procedures to help protect and secure accounts
- Restrict access to sensitive data, applications, and systems and verify users’ credentials
- Utilize two-factor authentication wherever possible to help protect accounts and data
- Utilize feedback mechanisms and implement sender policy framework (SPF) records
- Monitor and audit accounts and systems to detect any suspicious activity
- Utilize intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to detect and block malicious traffic
- Leverage AWS security services, including AWS Shield and AWS WAF to proactively defend against phishing-related threats.
Organizations can also get started with free or open source tools to aid them in the preparation for and detection of phishing emails. These tools include
PyPhisher : PyPhisher is a free and open source tool developed by the Open Information Security Foundation (OISF) for the detection of phishing emails and URLs. It is a command line tool that can be run on Linux and Mac OS X systems.
CRT Phish : CRT Phish is a free, open source tool that enables users to detect and report suspicious emails. The tool utilizes AI-based algorithms and threat intelligence feeds to detect phishing emails, and the dashboard can be used to analyze emails and track phishing campaigns.
Open-Phish: Open-Phish is a free and open source tool designed to detect phishing emails. The tool utilizes algorithms to detect suspicious emails and provides an easy to use UI for users to review results and take appropriate action.
Mitigating Phishing Attacks
Organizations must have a plan of attack for mitigating phishing attacks, and this should focus on both prevention and response. Prevention efforts should focus on educating employees on the risks and identifying and blocking potentially malicious emails and websites. Additionally, organizations should consider using authentication mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication, to help reduce the risk of successful phishing attempts.
Integrating DevSecOps practices and AWS Security Engineering tools, such as Amazon GuardDuty and AWS Security Hub, can enhance your organization’s real-time detection and response capabilities.
Organizations should also have a response plan in place that can be quickly activated in the event of a successful phishing attack. This should include ensuring any affected systems are isolated and cleanup efforts begin as soon as possible. Additionally, affected users should be notified and provided with guidance on how to protect their accounts and data.
Conclusion
Phishing attacks remain one of the most common and effective forms of cyber attack against organizations of all sizes. They are a serious threat to the security and integrity of an organizations’ networks, systems, and data and take a significant toll in terms of resources and time if successful.
Utilizing AWS services like AWS CloudTrail and Amazon GuardDuty can significantly streamline the incident response process, providing crucial insights for rapid remediation.
Organizations must have a comprehensive security strategy in place which includes measures to prevent phishing attacks as well as plans to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a successful attack. Additionally, organizations should consider utilizing free or opensource tools to help them in their prevention and mitigation efforts.
Run your own phishing tests with https://getgophish.com/To strengthen your organization’s security posture and implement these advanced strategies effectively, consider engaging AWS Consulting specialists. For personalized advice and assistance, contact Jon Price via LinkedIn. Run your own phishing tests with https://getgophish.com/ or I can help you get started.