Apple most imitated brand for phishing scams in Q1 2020, says report

NEW DELHI: Apple was the most impersonated brand name used in phishing scams in Q1 2020 as cybercriminals looked to capitalise on the spike in interest in the new Apple Watch, according to cybersecurity firm Check Point Research’s latest report on brand phishing. Netflix was the second most impersonated brand after Apple.

The report breaks down the phishing scams involving genuine brand names into three categories. In email based phishing scams, accounting for 18% of all attacks, Yahoo, Microsoft, Outlook and Amazon were the most frequently used brand names. In web-based phishing scams which formed the lion’s share of the attack at 59%, Apple, Netflix and PayPal were the top three brand names. The share of mobile-based phishing scams was 23% and Netflix, Apple and WhatsApp were the most imitated brands.

With millions staying indoors due to the covid-19 pandemic, the time spent on video streaming platforms particularly Netflix has also surged.