A recent study conducted by Hornetsecurity has revealed that the transportation sector has been the most affected by identity theft attacks during the year 2024, with companies like DHL and FedEx leading the way in this issue. The research highlights that identity theft, including phishing and smishing attacks, continues to be one of the most used methods by cybercriminals worldwide. According to alarming figures provided, there are currently 361 sophisticated phishing attacks happening per minute, representing a third of all cyberattacks.
Although DHL remains the most impersonated brand, there has been a noticeable improvement compared to 2023, as the number of impersonation attempts has significantly decreased. However, other brands such as Docusign, Mastercard, and Netflix have experienced an increase in these types of attacks during the same period. Additionally, Amazon has also received impersonation attempts, although they have managed to reduce their number by almost half in the last year.
Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity, commented that “brand impersonation was one of the most used attack techniques in emails during 2024, affecting both individuals and businesses.” Transportation brands are particularly attractive to attackers due to their ability to fit into social engineering schemes, making it easier for criminals to deceive both consumers and businesses.
The study, conducted by the Security Lab of Hornetsecurity, is based on an analysis of over 55.6 trillion emails processed through their security services between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024. All data and findings from the report are available in the Annual Cybersecurity Report, which also includes forecasts for the year 2025.
Source: MiMub in Spanish