What is Phishing and How to Protect from It?

December 9, 2019

Since 2016, a number of Azerbaijani hacker teams have been conducting active actions against Armenian users. Targets are mainly Facebook, Instagram accounts and emails. The attacks have the problem of simply harming the Armenians based solely on anti-Armenian and nationalist motives. Which means that every Armenian or person who lives outside of Armenia but has an Armenian last name can be targeted.

How are the attacks carried out?

The attacks have been under standard schemes for three years, but continue to find successful targets.
Attacks are legalized by phishing methods. There are basically several scenarios;

  1. In the last post of people or pages, comments refer to a page called Facebook. That is to say, it is the impression that the administration of the social network is applying. It is usually or feared that the account in question is under attack. Or the account has allegedly violated Facebook rules and is in danger of being blocked. In both cases the user is suggested to go to the given link.
  2. A similar message is received from Facebook, Instagram or his email; on behalf of the mail administration, but already by email. And there is a link to Creak that offers a solution.
  3. The user will receive an email from Instagram or Facebook suggesting a verification badge following the link.

In all cases, the link leads to pages that duplicate the social network or e-mail login page, but are located at a different address. Entering data leads to hijacking by hackers.

  • In the last post of people or pages, comments refer to a page called Facebook. That is to say, it is the impression that the administration of the social network is applying. It is usually or feared that the account in question is under attack. Or the account has allegedly violated Facebook rules and is in danger of being blocked. In both cases the user is suggested to go to the given link.
  • A similar message is received from Facebook, Instagram or his email; on behalf of the mail administration, but already by email. And there is a link to Creak that offers a solution.
  • The user will receive an email from Instagram or Facebook suggesting a verification badge following the link.