Phishing Campaigns Affecting Italy Witness a Surge

Phishing campaigns targeting users and organizations in Italy have been on the rise. These attacks involve criminals impersonating well-known brands and tricking users into revealing personal or financial information. The Italian Postal Police and CERT-AgID have reported numerous phishing campaigns involving popular brands such as Poste Italiane, Intesa Sanpaolo, and Zimbra. Phishing has become the leading type of cyber attack in Italy, with a 180% increase in the second quarter of 2023. Attackers typically send emails or SMS messages with links to fake websites that appear legitimate, and unsuspecting users often provide their credentials and personal data. Some recent campaigns in Italy include messages from Posteinfo, Zimbra webmail updates, and confirmation of Nexi card use. To protect against phishing, users are advised to carefully check email headers, look for spelling errors, and avoid using shared or public PCs. In case of falling victim to a phishing scam, it is important to change passwords immediately, enable two-factor authentication, and contact the targeted organization and the police.