Clone Phishing

What is Clone Phishing?

Clone phishing refers to a type of phishing email attack that uses an actual email that’s successfully been delivered before to create an identical (or nearly identical) copy. The clone phishing email may contain the same content, attachment, recipient, and sender email address as the genuine article, except a fraudulent link or attachment replaces the original.

How to Recognize This Threat: Because a clone phishing email appears to be from a legitimate source, unsuspecting victims likely won’t have the same suspicions that a sloppier phishing email – which is often filled with typos or a clearly visible phony address – would generate. Regardless though, users should inspect every link and attachment within any email very carefully before clicking.

How to Prevent This Threat: If anything seems fishy (or phishy) after inspecting an email – even if it looks legit – it’s best to train users not to click through. But since humans are involved, your network should incorporate email protection that takes a deeper look at everything coming through your inbox, filtering out spam and other suspicious messages. Learn about Barracuda Email Security for a wide array of options to consider.