How can you easily identify a phishing email?

Master phishing email analysis with our simple 10-step guide. Understand how to analyze email headers, bodies, and attachments to safeguard against cyber threats.

2024-01-23

How can you easily identify a phishing email?

Phishing emails have become a common yet dangerous threat to personal and organizational security. These deceptive messages are designed to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials and financial data, posing a significant risk to victims. Phishing emails continue to pose significant cybersecurity risks, leading to substantial financial losses, operational disruptions, and reputational damage.

In 2023, organizations experienced a 76% increase in direct financial losses due to phishing attacks, highlighting the escalating monetary impact of such cyber threats.

In 2023, 32% of organizations reported ransomware infections delivered via email, underscoring the operational challenges posed by phishing-induced malware.

In 2023, a South Australian woman lost over $800,000 due to a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam during a home purchase, highlighting the severe reputational and financial risks associated with phishing attacks.

These examples underscore the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures to mitigate the risks associated with phishing emails.

In this guide, we'll explore phishing email analysis techniques and provide 10 simple tips to help you identify and avoid falling prey to phishing attempts.

What is Phishing Email Analysis?

Phishing email analysis examines an email's components to identify if it's a phishing attempt. This involves checking the email's header, body, and attachments for any signs of fraud. With phishing assessment, individuals and organizations can better defend against the sophisticated tactics used by cybercriminals.

Picture 1: An example phishing email to practice on spotting red flags.

10 Simple Tips For Phishing Email Analysis

Header for Phishing Email Analysis

Tip 1: Examine the Sender’s Email Address

Always check the sender's address carefully. A legitimate email from a reputable company will have a domain name that matches the organization’s official website. Look for misspellings or additional characters that might indicate a phishing email.

Picture 2: Always check the sender’s email address

Tip 2: Look for Inconsistencies in the Email Domain

Picture 3: Look for inconsistencies in the email domain to spot phishing emails.

Phishing Email Body Analysis

Tip 3: Check for Urgent or Threatening Language

Phishers often use urgent language to create a sense of panic, prompting immediate action. Be skeptical of emails that pressure you to act quickly, especially if they request personal or financial information.

Picture 3: To spot phishing emails, check for urgent or threatening language in the email body or subject line

Tip 4: Spot Grammar and Spelling Mistakes

Professional organizations take great care in communicating clearly and correctly. An email riddled with errors is likely a phishing attempt.

Picture 4: To spot phishing emails, check grammar and spelling mistakes

Phishing Email Attachment Analysis

Tip 5: Be Wary of Unsolicited Attachments

Opening attachments from unknown senders can introduce malware to your system. Verify the sender’s credibility before opening any files.

Picture 5: Check the sender’s email address and domain; check red flags before opening the attachment.

Tip 6: Verify File Extensions and Icons

Phishing emails may include attachments that appear harmless but contain malicious software. Double-check file extensions and be cautious of files masquerading as safe documents.

Picture 6: Court notice scam malware which contains a zip file, and inside, there is a word file with an extension of .exe.

Tip 7: Preview Before Clicking

Hover over links to preview the URL and ensure it directs to a legitimate site. If the address looks strange or not what you expect, it's likely a trick. This quick check helps keep you safe from phishing scams.

Hover over links to preview the URL and ensure it directs to a legitimate site

Tip 8: Inspect the Email Signature

A lack of details about the sender or how to contact the company in the email signature can signify phishing.

Picture 8: You can identify phishing emails by looking at email signatures.

Tip 9: Verify Personal Info Requests

Always double-check when someone asks for your info. Contact the company using their official contact details to ensure the request is real. This stops hackers from pretending to be someone they're not.

Picture 9: Always double-check when someone asks for your info to detect email phishing

Tip 10: Public Email Domain

Be cautious if the emails are coming from a public domain like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com instead of a corporate email account.

Picture 10: Check public domains to spot phishing emails.

As you read the 10 simple tips of identifying phishing emails, why not watch some phishing email analysis examples? Watch our YouTube video below to see analyzing of Wordpress phishing email.

Keepnet's Automated Phishing Email Analysis Tool

Wondering how to conduct a thorough email analysis in just 2 minutes? Check out this insightful video:

Opting for an automated approach to phishing email analysis significantly enhances efficiency for IT administrators. This method allows for the swift detection, analysis, and mitigation of phishing threats, achieving speeds up to 187 times faster than manual processes!

Keepnet leads the way in streamlining phishing email analysis with their Incident Responder tool, slashing analysis time by 95% and boasting a 99% detection rate. This leap in efficiency and accuracy is made possible through Keepnet's integration with over 20 leading phishing analysis engines, including Forti Sandbox, Vmray, Virustotal, Google Webrisk, Safebrowsing, and Zen Spamhaus.

Editor's Note: This blog was updated on November 20, 2024.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to analyze phishing emails?

Analyzing phishing emails is important for protecting against cyber threats. Phishing attempts are increasingly sophisticated, aiming to steal sensitive data such as passwords, financial information, and personal identity details. Individuals and organizations can prevent potential financial losses, identity theft, and unauthorized access to confidential systems and information by identifying and avoiding these attempts.

What should I look for in the email header for signs of phishing?

The email header contains valuable information for identifying phishing attempts. Pay attention to the sender's email address, looking for any discrepancies or deviations from the expected domain of the sender’s organization. Also, examine the "Received from" field to see if the email's origin matches where it claims to be from. Discrepancies in these areas can indicate a phishing attempt.

How does urgent language in an email indicate a phishing attempt?

Urgent language is a common tactic in phishing emails, used to pressure the recipient into acting quickly without taking the time to scrutinize the email's legitimacy. This could include warnings about account closures, unauthorized activity, or deadlines for financial transactions. Such language aims to bypass rational analysis, leading to hasty actions like providing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.

What are the risks of opening attachments in phishing emails?

Opening attachments from phishing emails can lead to several risks, including installing malware or ransomware on your device. This can result in data loss, theft of sensitive information, or gaining unauthorized access to your personal or work networks. Malware can also enable attackers to take control of your device, use it for further attacks, or monitor your activities without your knowledge.

How can I verify if an email link is safe to click?

To verify the safety of an email link, hover your cursor over the link to see the URL it directs to without clicking it. Check if the URL matches the expected destination and looks legitimate. Be cautious of long URLs with misspellings, or use character changes to mimic real sites. For added security, manually enter the website address into your browser rather than clicking the link.

What steps can I take if I suspect an email is a phishing attempt?

Do not interact with an email if you suspect it is a phishing attempt.
Do not click on any links, open any attachments, or reply to the message. Instead, report the email to your email provider or your organization's IT department.
You can also mark the email as phishing or spam in your email client to help improve spam filters.
If the email pretends to be from a legitimate company, consider notifying them through their official contact channels.

Can phishing emails mimic any organization?

Yes, phishing emails can mimic any organization, from well-known global companies to local businesses, banks, social media platforms, and government agencies. Phishers often use these organizations' branding, logos, and language styles to create convincingly legitimate emails, making it challenging for recipients to distinguish them from genuine communications.