Are you aware of what to look out for in phishing scams? In 2018, The IT Company walked you through the most popular subject lines cyber criminals were using in phishing attacks.

We are back again with an updated list of the most commonly clicked phishing email subjects in the second quarter of 2019, based upon KnowBe4’s research and results.

Social Media related subject lines continue to be a common way cybercriminals are targeting users. Every quarter, social media sites have inched their way up, becoming more and more commonly used. In fact, social media phishing attacks are at the highest they’ve ever been. According to research done by Vade Secure, during quarter 2, social media phishing attacks have increased by over 70%.

With a multitude of social media sites being commonly used daily, cybercriminals are smart to use this attacking method. Stu Sjouwerman, the CEO of KnowBe4, said it perfectly when he wrote “It feels good to ‘join my network’ or connect with someone in some way – that’s why social media phishing attacks are so successful. Users innately trust their ‘verified’ contacts so are more apt to click on a link that comes from someone they know. It’s becoming harder to identify phishing attacks, but our users are smarter than the bad guys think and can absolutely be trained to identify and avoid phishing and social engineering attacks."

Social media sites are being used in a variety of different phishing attack email subjects, however without a doubt, the most prevalent is LinkedIn. Over half of the phishing emails related to social media, were imitations of LinkedIn messages. Why? Because most LinkedIn accounts are hooked to users' work email addresses, making the risk of clicking on the phishing email a lot riskier.

Cybercriminals continue to get smarter, and in order to protect yourself and your company, you must constantly stay aware of the risks of cyber attacks. The IT Company strongly encourages you to think before you open an email. Be aware of the phishing attack email subjects that are fooling many users. If you have any skepticism send the email to your IT department before opening it.

Your safety is the number one priority, don’t make the mistake of risking it, by not staying aware and informed.

Check out this infographic from KnowBe4 representing the top clicked phishing email subjects!