The Skinny on Mishing
Brief:
Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting mobile devices — a particularly concerning trend for small business owners. A recent report from Zimperium highlights the rise of "mishing," a term encompassing various mobile-first phishing techniques such as smishing (SMS-based phishing), quishing (QR code phishing), voice phishing, and Wi-Fi-based phishing (e.g., "Evil Twin" attacks).
Affected Systems:
Mobile Phones
What Does This Mean to Me:
Since mobile devices are crucial for small business operations (like banking, communication, and multi-factor authentication), these attacks risk your finances, customer data, and reputation.
Why This Matters for Small Businesses:
As small businesses increasingly rely on mobile devices for operations like multi-factor authentication and mobile-first applications, they become prime targets for mishing attacks. Traditional anti-phishing measures designed for desktops may not effectively protect against these mobile-specific threats, leaving businesses vulnerable.
How to Protect Your Business:
Implement Mobile-Specific Security Solutions: Adopt security measures tailored for mobile devices, including mobile threat defense systems that detect and mitigate mishing attempts.
Employee Training: Educate staff about various mishing attacks and promote vigilance when interacting with unsolicited messages or unfamiliar QR codes.
Regular Software Updates: Ensure all mobile devices and applications have the latest security patches to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Use of Mobile Device Management (MDM): Deploy MDM solutions to monitor, manage, and secure employees' mobile devices used for business purposes.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): While MFA is not foolproof, it adds a layer of security, making unauthorized access more challenging for attackers.
Recommended Response and Countermeasures:
Security Audit
Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Training
It’s not all about the desktop anymore. By proactively addressing the challenges of mishing, small business owners can enhance their cybersecurity posture and protect their operations from evolving mobile threats. If you’ve got questions, contact me.
Prepared by:
Russell Mickler
Principal Consultant, Mickler & Associates, Inc.
rmickler@micklerandassociates.com
We help small businesses use technology better.
(360) 216-1784 | About | Schedule | Review Me | Buy Me a Coffee
