E-Business
Microsoft Dominates as the Most Impersonated Brand for Phishing Scams in Q2 2023

Check Point Research (CPR), the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point® Software Technologies and a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, has published its Brand Phishing Report for Q2 2023.
The report highlights the brands that were most frequently imitated by cybercriminals in their attempts to steal individuals personal information or payment credentials during April, May and June 2023.
Last quarter global technology company Microsoft climbed up the rankings, moving from third place in Q1 2023 to top spot in Q2. The tech giant accounted for 29% of all brand phishing attempts.
This may be partially explained by a phishing campaign that saw hackers targeting account holders with fraudulent messaging regarding unusual activity on their account.
The report ranked Google in second place, accounting for 19% of all attempts and Apple in third, featuring in 5% of all phishing events during the last quarter. In terms of industry, the technology sector was the most impersonated, followed by banking and social media networks.
At the beginning of this year, CPR warned of an upward trend that saw phishing campaigns leveraging the finance industry, and this has continued over the last three months. For example, American banking organization Wells Fargo took fourth place this quarter due to a series of malicious emails requesting account information.
Similar tactics were noted in other scams that imitated brands such as Walmart and LinkedIn, which also featured in this report’s top ten list taking sixth and eighth place.
“While the most impersonated brands move around quarter to quarter, the tactics that cybercriminals use scarcely do. This is because the method of flooding our inboxes and luring us into a false sense of security by using reputable logos has proven successful time and time again,” said Omer Dembinsky, Data Group Manager at Check Point Software.
This is why we all must commit to stop and review, taking a moment before clicking on any link we don’t recognize. Does something feel off? Is there bad grammar or any language that is prompting an instant response? If so, this may be an indicator of a phishing email.
For organizations worried about their own data and reputation, it is key that they take advantage of the right technologies that can effectively block these emails before they have chance to dupe a victim.
In its latest Titan release R81.20, Check Point has also announced an inline security technology called Zero Phishing was enhanced now with a new engine called Brand Spoofing Prevention, designed to stop brand impersonation and scaled to detect and block also local brands that are used as lures, in any language, any country, and it’s also prevents pre-emptively as the engine recognized the fake domains on registration stage and blocks access to them.
The solution uses an innovative AI-Powered engine, advanced Natural Language Processes and improved URL scanning capabilities to auto-inspect possible malicious attempts and block access to impersonated local and global brands across multiple languages and countries, resulting in a 40% higher catch rate than traditional technologies.
In a brand phishing attack, criminals try to imitate the official website of a well-known brand by using a similar domain name or URL and a web-page design that resembles the genuine site.
The link to the fake website can be sent to targeted individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected during web browsing, or it may be triggered from a fraudulent mobile application. The fake website often contains a form intended to steal users credentials, payment details or other personal information.
Top phishing brands in Q2 2023
Below are the top brands ranked by their overall appearance in brand phishing attempts:
- Microsoft (29%)
- Google (19.5%)
- Apple (5.2%)
- Wells Fargo (4.2%)
- Amazon (4%)
- Walmart (3.9%)
- Roblox (3.8%)
- LinkedIn (3%)
- Home Depot (2.5%)
- Facebook (2.1%)
Microsoft Phishing Email Unusual Activity Example
In the second quarter of 2023, a phishing campaign targeted Microsoft account holders by sending fraudulent messages regarding unusual sign-in activity.
The campaign involved deceptive emails which were sent allegedly from inside the company with sender names such as Microsoft on <company domain>. The subject line of these phishing emails was “RE: Microsoft account unusual sign-in activity” and they claimed to have detected unusual sign-in activity on the recipient’s Microsoft account. The emails provided details of the alleged sign-in, such as the country/region, IP address, date, platform and browser.
To address this supposed security concern, the phishing emails urged recipients to review their recent activity by clicking on a provided link which leads to malicious websites unrelated to Microsoft. The URLs used in the campaign, such as hxxps://online.canpiagn[.]best/configurators.html and hxxps://bafybeigbh2hhq6giieo6pnozs6oi3n7x57wn5arfvgtl2hf2zuf65y6z7y[.]ipfs[.]dweb[.] The link is currently inaccessible, but the assumption is that they were designed to steal user credentials or personal information, or to download malicious content onto the users device.
E-Business
Amazon CEO Says AI will Reduce Number of Workers Needed

Amazon’s management on Wednesday said that it expects that artificial intelligence software will reduce the number of office workers at the world’s largest online retailer.

Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today and more people doing other types of jobs,” Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon wrote in an email to employees.
He said it was difficult to predict how the overall workforce will evolve, but in the next few years, it is expected that AI efficiency gains will lead to a reduction in the number of office workers.
According to earlier reports, Amazon employed around 1.5 million people worldwide, with approximately 350,000 office employees in various roles.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the company does not anticipate further large-scale layoffs, as seen in 2022 and 2023, in the near future.
Instead, it expects that vacant positions will not be refilled.
However, layoffs are not ruled out, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“Amazon is focusing on so-called AI agents, software capable of independently performing tasks. These agents could, for example, summarise information from the web and data sources, write software, translate languages and automate many time-consuming tasks,” Mr Jassy explained.
“Agents will be teammates that we can call on at various stages of our work,” he added, urging employees to experiment with AI whenever possible.
The impact of AI on the job market has been a concern for many years.
Recently, Spotify, the leader in music streaming, announced that teams requesting additional staff would first need to prove that AI could not perform the tasks.
The creators of the language-learning app Duolingo plan to gradually replace external workers with AI.
E-Business
BPP Partners NDPC to Strengthen Data Protection

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
E-Business
FG Mulls Fibre Optic Layout to Bridge Internet Gaps

President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
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