Cyber Defense eMagazine March Edition for 2022

InDesign and uploaded to indd.adobe.com, a legitimate URL. Hosting a phishing attack in a known URL
is not uncommon, but this was the first time we saw it done in InDesign. The InDesign domain also has
certain characteristics that enabled the bad actors to conceal the malware; the link was hidden in an
image (something that is possible in InDesign) and therefore was not identified as a URL when scanned
by many security solutions. This masking technique enables attackers to avoid raising suspicions and
bypass many email detection measures.
This was the first time this type of technique was confirmed as a phishing attack; luckily, it was uncovered
before causing serious damage. But, this new type of threat shows just how constant - and dangerous -
the evolution of the cybersecurity landscape is. Cyber criminals are, unfortunately, usually one step
ahead of their targets, and it’s critical to stay up to date on the latest techniques being used to best protect
yourself and your organization. To build a strong cyber detection and prevention plan against phishing
attempts, there are many steps companies can, and should take.
Prepare for the worst
So, what are companies or security-based solutions supposed to do when faced with a tricky challenge
like this one?
The first step is to ensure your organization has the most up-to-date and advanced security protections
in place. Basic email security is not enough - it’s critical to have a security platform in place that can
detect more advanced and emerging phishing techniques, especially the ones that have not yet been
discovered or even developed. It’s also more important than ever that organizations adopt an assumed
breach mentality: plan for when a cyber attack will happen, not if. Remote work and increased use of
cloud-based SaaS platforms are essentially invitations to bad actors. As useful as these technologies
are, it opens up gaps for malware to enter a system when you least expect it.
Implementing security solutions to help with detection and prevention are important, but it’s even more
necessary to develop cyber resilience in your company. A strong cybersecurity approach is one that
starts with an assumed breach mentality within an organization, and ends with building a cyber resilience
foundation. Cyber resilience is not a product or attitude, but rather an ongoing journey with an evolving
mindset to grow as new threats and technologies continue to emerge. Together with an assumed-breach,
cyber-resilient culture, your company will not only be prepared for the next vulnerability around the corner,
but also will have the ability to respond and quickly recover from an adverse cyber event.
In an ever-changing digital environment, security can no longer afford to be afterthought. It is the
responsibility of each organization to ensure that when a threat emerges, they are able to minimize the
risk to prevent the attack from growing and wreaking havoc on themselves or others, such as their
customers. It is too easy for cyber attacks to quickly spread and have a ripple effect that can impact
thousands. As dangerous cyber criminals become smarter, we must too, and take the proper steps to
fight back.
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