Clone phishing is just a sophisticated and insidious form of phishing attack that capitalizes on the trust and familiarity of legitimate email communications. Unlike traditional phishing, which often involves sending fake emails from seemingly random or suspicious sources, clone phishing requires a subtler approach. Attackers first obtain a legitimate email that the goal has previously received. This can be achieved through various means, such as hacking into the e-mail accounts of trusted contacts or intercepting emails via compromised networks. After the attacker has got the legitimate email, they create a precise replica or "clone," but with malicious links or attachments substituted for the initial ones. The cloned email is then provided for the first recipients, making it appear as if it is a continuation or follow-up of a previous legitimate conversation.

The potency of clone phishing lies in its capability to exploit the trust that recipients have in known senders and familiar email formats. When recipients see a contact that appears to come from the trusted clone phishing and references a prior interaction, they are more likely to click on links or open attachments without suspicion. This is specially dangerous in a business context, where employees frequently receive and respond to emails from colleagues, clients, and partners. The cloned email can contain malicious software, such as ransomware or spyware, or lead the recipient to a phony website designed to steal login credentials and other sensitive information.

Among the main challenges in defending against clone phishing is the difficulty in distinguishing cloned emails from legitimate ones. Attackers go to great lengths to create their cloned emails appear authentic, replicating not only this content but also the sender's email and even the email signature. Advanced cloning techniques may also involve mimicking the writing style and tone of the initial sender, which makes it even harder for recipients to detect the fraud. Traditional email security measures, such as for example spam filters and antivirus programs, may not be sufficient to catch these sophisticated attacks, especially if the cloned email originates from a compromised account within the same organization.

To combat clone phishing, organizations must adopt a multi-layered approach to email security. Including using advanced email filtering solutions that will detect anomalies in email metadata and content, implementing strong authentication mechanisms like multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regularly updating security software to protect against the latest threats. Employee training and awareness programs will also be crucial, as human vigilance is the last type of defense against phishing attacks. Employees should be trained to identify the signs of phishing, such as for example unexpected requests for sensitive information, unusual links or attachments, and discrepancies in email content or formatting.