Phishing Jumped 300% on Thanksgiving

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Cyveillance, the world leader in cyber intelligence, today announced that Thanksgiving saw a significant spike in phishing threats, with more than a 300 percent jump in attacks compared to the average number of phishing attacks seen the in the previous week. This one day spike in the number of phishing attacks is a tactic used by criminals around long holiday weekends, often targeting smaller businesses and credit unions, which may not have around-the-clock security teams to respond to threats that occur during extended weekends.

According to a recent CNN Money Report highlighting Cyveillance’s cyber intelligence expertise, small businesses are frequently at risk for phishing attacks and other brand-related online threats. Therefore, these companies must take a proactive stance in protecting their brand online. Criminals are increasingly targeting small businesses and small credit unions that do not have 24/7 security personnel; allowing phishers to successfully evade detection and prolong the eventual take down of their fraudulent Web sites.

“Cyber criminals continuously look for opportunities to distribute phishing attacks, focusing on situations when consumers are most susceptible,” said Panos Anastassiadis, CEO of Cyveillance. “As seen by the large spike in online attacks over Thanksgiving, online criminals are counting on the hectic holiday season to increase their odds of successfully defrauding consumers and organizations, specifically targeting the most vulnerable security environments.”

Cyveillance