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STOPPING PHISHING FOR DEVELOPERS: TECHNIQUES AND DEFENSES

Categories
Risk Management

Published on October 6, 2023 by PreEmptive Team

 * Post author By PreEmptive Team
 * Post date October 6, 2023



Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

As Cybersecurity Month 2023 approaches this October, the spotlight is on
recognizing and reporting phishing, one of the pivotal themes for this year.
With the ever-evolving landscape of phishing attacks, developers find themselves
at the forefront of this battle. Gone are the days when a poorly written email
with misspellings signaled a phishing attempt. Today’s phishing schemes employ
advanced technologies and an in-depth psychological understanding, challenging
even the most astute users. In this complex digital era, developers have a
unique role to play, wielding their expertise not just in building systems, but
also in safeguarding them from these intricate threats.





PHISHING TECHNIQUES: A LOOK INTO THE TACTICS TARGETING DEVELOPERS AND THEIR CODE

While the standard advice to avoid opening attachments from unknown sources
still holds true, hackers can now generate targeted attacks to get around
standard security measures. 





→ MACHINE LEARNING IN PHISHING ATTACKS

Malicious actors have fully embraced the possibilities of AI. Machine learning
now drives many phishing attacks. Cybercriminals use algorithms to optimize
their attack strategies, from identifying the most vulnerable targets in an
organization to tailoring phishing content based on user behavior and
preferences. These algorithms can analyze massive datasets of user information,
enabling attackers to make highly personalized and convincing attempts.





→ SPEAR PHISHING

Spear phishing, a targeted form of phishing, now often incorporates data culled
from social engineering. Cybercriminals scan social media platforms or corporate
websites to gather detailed information about their target, such as job titles,
work relationships, and even personal hobbies. Armed with this data, they craft
incredibly relevant and trustworthy emails or messages. 





→ REAL-TIME PHISHING

In real-time phishing, cybercriminals create a fake website that mimics the
genuine website almost perfectly. During a parallel session, the user inputs
login details into the fake website, and the hacker immediately uses those
details to log into the actual website.

The process often happens so swiftly that the user doesn’t even realize they’ve
been phished. This method dramatically increases the attack’s effectiveness by
bypassing two-factor authentication and other security measures. 





→ SMS PHISHING

The increasing use of mobile devices for work also opens new vectors for
phishing attacks. SMS phishing — also called smishing — has seen a surge. Here,
attackers sending text messages that direct users to malicious websites or
prompt them to disclose sensitive information. 





→ DEEPFAKE PHISHING

Deepfake technology is still evolving, but that hasn’t stopped malicious actors
from using it.  Hackers can create highly convincing fake videos or audio
messages that appear to come from trusted figures within an organization. These
deepfakes can trick employees into transferring funds or revealing confidential
information. 





DEFENSIVE CODING: TECHNIQUES TO MAKE APPLICATIONS RESISTANT TO PHISHING

Although many phishing attacks rely on human error to bypass otherwise effective
security measures, there are tactics developers can use to harden applications
against attacks. Some code-based phishing defenses for developers include the
following: 

 * Validating user input: Always use input validation techniques on both client
   and server sides. Double-check that all form submissions and URL parameters
   conform to expected formats. Input validation can filter out malicious code
   that attackers often use for phishing.
 * Employing content security policies: Implement content security policies to
   restrict the sources of content that an application can execute. By
   whitelisting trusted domains and blocking inline scripts, developers can
   prevent attackers from injecting malicious content into web pages.
 * Using multi-factor authentication: Implement multi-factor authentication
   (MFA) to add an extra layer of security. MFA makes it harder for phishers —
   although not impossible —  to gain unauthorized access even if they steal
   login credentials.
 * Applying role-based access control (RBAC): Assign permissions based on roles
   within the application. Limit the amount of privileged information each role
   can access. Doing so minimizes the damage that can occur, even if a phishing
   attack compromises a user account.
 * Implementing rate limiting: Cap the number of login attempts and password
   resets from a single IP address within a specific time frame. Rate limiting
   can thwart brute-force attacks often associated with phishing campaigns.
 * Using time-based restrictions: Add time-based restrictions for high-risk
   actions like fund transfers or changes to account settings. Require a waiting
   period or a secondary confirmation, which can deter real-time phishing
   attempts.
 * Leveraging machine learning: Integrate machine learning algorithms that
   analyze user behavior and traffic patterns. These algorithms can flag
   suspicious activity to proactively prevent phishing attacks.
 * Regularly updating and patching software: Keep all libraries, frameworks, and
   other software current. Security patches often fix vulnerabilities that
   attackers can exploit for phishing.





SECURE COMMUNICATION: ENSURING SECURE AND AUTHENTICATED CORRESPONDENCE IN
APPLICATIONS

You should also protect data communication to make it more difficult for hackers
to steal and manipulate data for phishing attacks.  The following techniques can
help developers safeguard user data and app integrity:  

 * Using HTTPS for all transactions: Secure URL practices encrypt all data in
   transit using HTTPS rather than HTTP. SSL/TLS certificates provide robust
   encryption and serve as the first defense against man-in-the-middle attacks,
   which can intercept and manipulate data.
 * Implementing end-to-end encryption: Only the communicating users can read the
   messages with end-to-end encryption. Even if an attacker intercepts the data
   packets, they cannot decrypt the information. This is particularly important
   for messaging apps and in email security protocols.
 * Digitally signing messages: Use digital signatures to verify the integrity of
   the messages. When a message is digitally signed, any alteration or tampering
   becomes evident, allowing users to disregard compromised messages.
 * Tokenizing sensitive information: Replace sensitive information with a
   non-sensitive equivalent, known as a token. Tokenization protects the data as
   it travels through various networks, reducing the risk associated with data
   exposure.
 * Securing API communication: For applications relying on APIs for internal or
   external communications, secure them with strong authentication and rate
   limiting. Make sure the API calls are also transmitted over HTTPS.
 * Implementing data loss prevention (DLP) measures: Use DLP tools to monitor
   and control data transfers. These tools can identify sensitive data and
   prevent unauthorized sharing, reducing the risk of leaks or exposure.
 * Isolating communication channels: Segment your network and isolate
   communication channels where sensitive data is transmitted. Use firewalls and
   other security measures to restrict access to these secure channels.





CASE STUDY: A SUCCESSFUL PHISHING ATTEMPT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPERS

Twitter was attacked in one of the most high-profile spear phishing cases
recently. In 2020, several Twitter staff members’ credentials were hacked and
used to gain access to celebrity Twitter accounts, such as Elon Musk and Barack
Obama. The hackers tweeted out pleas for Bitcoin and managed to collect $100,000
before they were locked out of the system. This case highlights the importance
of recognizing phishing vulnerabilities within an organization. 

Though embarrassing for Twitter, the financial impact pales compared to some
successful phishing attacks. Google and Facebook were fleeced out of $100
million over several years. The scammer repeatedly sent fake invoices from
Quanta, a vendor both companies used. Since the bogus invoices seemed to
originate from a trusted vendor, they were paid by the tech giants. 





🗝 KEY TAKEAWAYS

As Cybersecurity Month 2023 emphasizes the crucial role of recognizing and
reporting phishing, we developers emerge as unsung heroes, innovating tirelessly
behind the scenes. While phishing attacks often target human vulnerabilities, we
have the tools and skills to enhance our defenses, making it challenging for
malicious actors to obtain data for targeted attacks or to mimic authentic
websites. In this age of evolving threats, always remember: we developers are
not just creators; we’re the frontline defense against phishing.

Curious about how PreEmptive empowers developers to stay ahead in cybersecurity?
Check out our code security solutions.

 

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 * Tags cybersecurity month, phishing

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