Summary
- Since the creation of the internet, email compromise attacks have been one of the predominant ways of spreading malware and establishing initial access to systems and endpoints.
- Attackers use a variety of techniques to manipulate content to deceive users and evade content analysis; one of these is the use of homographs.
- Homograph attacks manipulate the script of characters to evade detection and look identical to Latin characters to the human eye.
- These attacks are increasingly effective due to increases in AI-based phishing and the use of AI-based character generation.
- Typically attackers will use these techniques to impersonate trusted brands in emails and on websites in attempts to steal credentials, deliver malware, or for other exploitation.
- Palo Alto Networks Cortex Advanced Email Security can help protect against these forms of attacks.
- This article provides examples of real-world attacks that use homographs and describes how they can be prevented.
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