Why Does Phishing Work?

Phishing does not only succeed because technical security measures fail. Attackers often deliberately exploit human behavior.

Urgency

A message may claim that an account will be locked unless immediate action is taken.

Creating a sense of urgency makes it less likely that the message will be carefully checked.

Fear

Attackers may threaten consequences:

Your account has been compromised.

Or:

Your payment could not be processed.

Fear can cause people to act without thinking.

Curiosity

Curiosity can also be exploited. A message might contain an unusual attachment or a link to supposedly important information.

Authority

A message may appear more trustworthy when it claims to come from a manager, the IT department or a well-known organization.

What helps?

The most important protection is to pause for a moment.

If a message is unusually urgent, unexpected or emotionally charged, examine it carefully before taking any action.