Identifying a phishing email

Cybercrimes often involve cybercriminals hacking into systems, accounts, and more using various methods, and one of the most prevalent ways is through email. Today, let's delve into identifying a phishing email. But before that, what exactly is email phishing?

Email phishing is a deceptive tactic used by cybercriminals to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details.

Identifying a phishing email example:

I am a junior cybersecurity analyst at Freenzee. Freenzee is a music, podcast service that gives you access to millions of songs and other content from creators all over the world.

Case study:

Angela, one of our customers, received an email that appears to be from us, stating that her payment has been declined. However, it's worth noting that just a week ago, her payment for the Freenzees plan was successfully processed. Consequently, Angela has reached out to us, expressing her concern about this discrepancy.

In my role as a junior cybersecurity analyst, I've been assigned the responsibility of investigating this issue to identify the problem and propose a viable solution.

Analysis:

Here we will first analyze this email to ensure it was really sent from us before taking any further step.

Step 1: Let's examine the email address from which this particular email originated.

As we can see, the freenzee here starts with a small letter "f" instead of a capital letter "F". There's also inconsistency in the spelling of Freenze(freenzee/freenze).

Step 2: We will check the body for grammatical errors or blunders.

The language used in this communication lacks a professional tone. Typically, an issue like this wouldn't result in the immediate deactivation of an account. Moreover, if there were a legitimate concern, the email would likely specify a timeframe, such as 24 hours, for action or response. However, this detail was conspicuously absent from the email.

Step 3: Lastly, we will check the URL link sent to the client.

The button color in the email doesn't align with our logo's color scheme, indicating a potential discrepancy. Additionally, upon inspecting the URL link provided, a couple of critical issues were identified:

1. The URL redirects to an "http" address, which is typically associated with an insecure website.
2. The domain name within the URL doesn't match the official domain name associated with Freenzee, suggesting a possible attempt at misleading the recipient.

Findings:

1. The sender's email address appears to be incorrect.
2. There is grammatical errors or inconsistencies within the email content.
3. The email contain an attachment with a fake or misleading URL link.

In conclusion, the email in question is a phishing attempt and did not originate from the legitimate Freenzee team. It has been identified that cybercriminals intended to deceive the client, potentially aiming to defraud her of her money, as evidenced by the contents of the email.

Solution:

1. Avoid clicking on the link: Since it was not sent by the legitimate Freenzee team, refrain from clicking on the provided link.
2. Delete the email: There should be no impact on the client's account or their personal information if they haven't provided any details through the link in the email. Thus, it's advisable to delete the email to prevent any potential risks or further interaction with the phishing attempt.