Massive LinkedIn Phishing amid the ‘Great Resignation’

According to recent reports, email phishing attacks spoofing LinkedIn have increased by 232 % since February 1, 2022. These attacks use display name spoofing and stylized HTML layouts that make users click on phishing links and enter their credentials, further redirecting them to malicious websites. 

This surge of phishing scams is linked to the “Great Resignation,” as the employees are quitting their jobs and looking for new opportunities. We saw that many Americans quit their jobs in search of new opportunities in 2021.

This sophisticated attack follows a similar pattern of LinkedIn assaults, all using webmail addresses with a LinkedIn display name, while the phishing emails are sent from distinct webmail. They even use the same subject lines like those on the social networking site, such as “You appeared in 4 searches this week,” “Your profile matches this position,” “You have 1 new message,” and “Who’s searching for you online?.”

“The emails use multiple stylized HTML templates, including the LinkedIn logo, brand colors, and icons. Within the body of the email, the cybercriminal uses other well-known organizations’ names to make the attacks more convincing,” Egress said.

If a user clicks on a malicious link in the email, they will be redirected to the site where their LinkedIn logins and passwords are harvested. LinkedIn claims to have over 810 million members in over 200 countries, which provides more potential prey for cybercriminals.