Spike in Phishing Attacks on First Day of Thanksgiving Weekend

Posted December 2, 2009

Cyveillance saw a significant spike in phishingPhishing: The fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. threats on Thanksgiving Day, representing more than a 100 percent jump in attacks compared to the average number of phishing attacks seen the in the previous weeks. This one day spike in the number of phishing attacks is a tactic used by criminals around long holiday weekends, targeting a variety of organizations ranging from major corporations to smaller businesses and credit unions.

The trend of phishers launching increased number attacks around Thanksgiving Day or Weekend is in line with trends of previous years. During the holiday season, users should practice extra caution when shopping and conducting business online. The potential for falling victim to phishing attacks can be minimized by never clicking on links within emails and only accessing online applications through known Web sites and pages.