Real-life evidence of NRD risks

Cyber attackers use phishing in the majority of data breaches –  IBM reports a staggering 41% of all attacks attributed to it, while Deloitte notes that phishing accounts for two in every five attacks. The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) underscores that 77% of phishing domains are specifically registered for malicious purposes. These domains frequently serve as launchpads for extensive phishing and malware attacks, making their scrutiny a critical security practice.

Similarly, Interisle Consulting Group observed that a significant increase in phishing is linked to the use of domain names, with an 85% jump in domains used for cyberattacks.

Research from Palo Alto reinforces these concerns, and indicates that at one point, over 70% of newly registered domains (NRDs) were “malicious,” “suspicious,” or “not safe for work.” This statistic underscores the consistent risk posed by newly established domains over the years.

NRDs are employed not only for phishing but also as vectors for malware distribution and command-and-control operations. Cybercriminals can rapidly register and activate new domains. In response, they can rapidly deploy and evolve their attacks, and bypass traditional detection methods. This creates urgent challenges for cybersecurity defenses in environments like Salesforce.

Why combating phishing on Salesforce is crucial

Phishing attacks pose a significant threat to organizations using Salesforce, exploiting the platform’s extensive functionalities to carry out sophisticated cyberattacks. These threats primarily target human error, using deceptive emails or malicious URLs to manipulate users into divulging confidential information such as login credentials, thereby compromising entire systems.

1. Data integrity and security: Salesforce serves as a repository for vast amounts of sensitive corporate and customer data. Phishing attacks gain unauthorized access to data, causing data breaches that severely damage a company’s reputation and lead to substantial financial losses.
2. User trust and compliance: Customers trust organizations to safeguard their personal information. A successful phishing attack can erode this trust, damage customer relationships, and potentially violate compliance regulations that protect user data.
3. Operational continuity: Phishing attacks disrupt the normal business operations of Salesforce, which leads to downtime and decreased productivity.

Proactive NRD blocking is the simplest and the most effective strategy

Managing NRD threats effectively requires a combination of technology and strategy tailored to an organization’s specific risk tolerance. Although user awareness is important, no Salesforce user should be expected to act as a phishing detective. Enterprises with low risk tolerance should proactively block NRDs from interacting with their Salesforce systems.. By utilizing real-time intelligence, WithSecure Cloud Protection for Salesforce empowers organizations to selectively block NRDs. The solution analyzes the domain’s age. Customers can configure settings to block domains registered within recent time frames, including 7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days.

Proactive NRD blocking is the simplest and the most effective strategy

Our incident response team has identified attacks on Salesforce environments where NRDs were a factor. These observations have reinforced the need for robust NRD management and influenced the development of product features that meet the stringent compliance requirements of many enterprise customers. These customers often mandate that newly created domains should not gain access to their Salesforce platforms.

“Many enterprises, particularly financial institutions, have stringent requirements. For instance, they mandate that domains less than 32 days old are not allowed on their network or platform ,” Anssi Korpilaakso, Director of Business Operations at WithSecure Cloud Protection for Salesforce, concludes.

The problem calls for systemic intervention

To curb the misuse of newly registered domains (NRDs) in cyberattacks more effectively, authorities need to take broader regulatory actions instead of merely placing the responsibility for risk management on the victims.

• Regulatory oversight: Authorities could impose stricter controls on service providers that disproportionately enable cybercriminals, possibly penalizing those that consistently supply the means for cyberattacks.
• Identity verification: Introducing stringent identity verification or certification requirements for bulk domain registration can prevent misuse by making it harder for cybercriminals to anonymously acquire domains.
• Limiting resources: Restricting the number of accounts and subdomains one can register with free or inexpensive web hosting services could curtail the ability of attackers to proliferate harmful domains.
• Automated monitoring: Deploying automated systems to monitor and screen suspicious registration and usage patterns can preemptively catch potentially malicious activities.

Comprehensive phishing protection – 100% Salesforce-native

WithSecure™ Cloud Protection for Salesforce enhances defenses against URL-based threats, including the risks associated with newly registered domains (NRDs). This constantly updated suite of URL scanning features actively addresses the hidden dangers of malicious URLs within Salesforce.

Stop phishing and url-based threats instantly: URL Protection feature actively guards against phishing and malicious websites. It scans URLs upon upload and when clicked. This real-time scrutiny is crucial for intercepting threats before they impact your system.

Dynamic protection against evolving threats: The nature of URL threats is volatile. A link that was once deemed safe can turn malicious later. Click-Time URL Protection feature dynamically evaluates URLs at the point of access and adapts to the mutating threats.

Block newly registered domains: You can block access to domains based on their registration age. Settings are adjustable from 7 to 90 days old domains. This effectively reduces the risk of falling victim to attacks that are launched from newly established malicious sites.

Comprehensive detection of malicious URLs: The solutions detects and blocks harmful URLs that are within files and behind QR codes. This extends protection beyond visible links in text fields. This comprehensive approach helps thwart hidden malware and phishing attempts encoded within document uploads.

Block shortened URL threats: Shortened URLs, often used for their convenience, can mask dangerous destinations. Our system ensures every link is verified, enhancing security against camouflaged threats that could otherwise bypass detection.

Tailored security for high compliance sectors: We have designed the solution with the needs of highly regulated industries in mind. Robust protection aligns with the stringent security requirements of finance and public sectors.

Concerned about malicious URLs entering your Salesforce environment? Contact our team for a free consultation.

Phishing is not confined to email but is a pervasive threat across our digital infrastructure. Salesforce, with its extensive cloud applications and public-facing nature, is emerging as a prime target for such cyber threats. Comprehensive phishing defenses should include Salesforce as an attack vector.

Phishing attacks have evolved but so have email defenses

While 41% of cyber attacks use phishing tactics, an alarming 26% of these attacks now exploit public-facing applications (like Salesforce), according to IBM’s report. Furthermore, 16% of phishing attacks misuse valid accounts.

Email, the traditional stronghold against phishing, has long been hardened through anti-malware and anti-phishing tools combined with consistent user education, with many providers offering built-in defenses and organizations adopting phishing simulation training. These measures have significantly heightened user vigilance and reduced the click rates on malicious emails.

How Salesforce becomes the entryway for cyber criminals

Salesforce serves as a central hub for diverse interactions across Sales, Service, and Experience Clouds, presenting multiple avenues for cyber threats. Each user interaction, whether from internal or external sources, could potentially introduce malicious content. Salesforce is vulnerable to the same types of attacks that have plagued email for decades.

Internal users frequently engage in routine activities like uploading documents and sharing URLs. For example, a sales representative might attach a contract embedded with malware in Sales Cloud, or a support agent may inadvertently attach a compromised troubleshooting guide in Service Cloud. Similarly, community managers in Experience Cloud might share links that lead to malicious sites.

The risk also involves unauthenticated users such as customers or potential leads who upload attachments in support cases or via Web-to-Lead forms. These necessary business interactions, if unchecked, provide easy entry points for cybercriminals.

Furthermore, authenticated users on Experience Cloud portals often share significant project files or access collaborative spaces, unintentionally spreading malware. The integration of APIs, which connects Salesforce with external systems like ERP software or tools like Slack, adds another layer of vulnerability. Each data transfer across these connections is a potential breach point.

Salesforce security falls short of email security standards

However, the security measures guarding Salesforce have not evolved at the same pace. There are no built-in anti-virus, anti-phishing, or basic spam filters that are standard in email services. This oversight leaves an obvious hole in cybersecurity strategies.

“Salesforce, often overlooked as an attack vector, presents a significant vulnerability in too many cyber security strategies,” notes Anssi Korpilaakso, Director of Sales and Business Operations at WithSecure™. “Our product backend has registered a steady increase in malware and phishing detections on Salesforce in the recent years.”

Salesforce users typically perceive Salesforce as a trusted tool, and are less likely to anticipate or recognize a phishing attack on the platform compared to email. This sense of trust is exactly what attackers who use psychological phishing schemes exploit.

Email: lessons for multi-layered Salesforce security

As cyber criminals continue to refine their strategies and target systems beyond traditional attack vectors like email, organizations must protect every entry point, including Salesforce. Learning from the widely adopted email security measures and applying these lessons to Salesforce helps fortify your digital infrastructure against dynamic cyber threats.

To tackle phishing effectively, you must adopt a multi-layered defense strategy that goes beyond email and encompasses Salesforce, your business critical platform. Here’s how you can start:

User training: Just as with email, the first line of defense is user awareness. Training users to recognize phishing attempts in Salesforce is crucial, as the platform’s familiar and trusted environment may lower their guard against suspicious activities. Although user education is important, you should not expect your Salesforce users to act as phishing detectives.

Integrate real-time threat protection: Given the lack of built-in anti-phishing and anti-malware features in Salesforce, integrating advanced security solutions that can provide real-time threat protection is essential. Solutions like WithSecure™ Cloud Protection for Salesforce offer tailored security measures that fit seamlessly into Salesforce, enhancing security without disrupting user experience.

What to consider when choosing the solution

When selecting a threat protection solution for Salesforce, you should prioritize efficiency, comprehensive coverage, and advanced detection capabilities that match today’s sophisticated cyber threats. Considerations for calculated decision-making:

• Prioritize solutions that add minimal complexity and avoid vulnerable integrations, focusing on native, straightforward security layers.
• Choose solutions that protect not only internal users but also mitigate the risk of malware spreading to customers and partners interacting with Salesforce by scanning uploads and downloads across various user types.
• Consider the evolving nature of threats, such as documents that contain latent phishing links, which may turn malicious after being uploaded to Salesforce, and after the initial scan at the point of upload. Opt for solutions that provide real-time protection, scanning content like files and URLs during all user interactions, not just at the point of upload.
• Ensure the solution offers real-time scanning and advanced behavioral analysis to detect embedded malware in seemingly benign documents, moving beyond traditional signature-based methods.
• Select solutions that encompass all Salesforce entry points, including custom objects in addition to standard objects, to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Look for deep detection capabilities that can scan for malicious phishing links not only in text and emails but also within files, detect phishing links hidden behind QR codes, and identify zero-day malware in files as well as known threats.

WithSecure™ Cloud Protection for Salesforce eliminates risk of human error in real-time

Robust security measures equivalent to enterprise-grade email security help you experience the full potential of Salesforce without hidden risks. WithSecure™ delivers an advanced antivirus and antiphishing solution tailored uniquely for Salesforce. Developed in collaboration with Salesforce, WithSecure™ Cloud Protection for Salesforce meets the stringent requirements of highly regulated industries and government entities. You get real-time defenses against malware, ransomware, viruses, and phishing attacks, along with full security visibility for threat hunting and incident response. Multi-layer scanning ensures that every entry and touchpoint – from the Sales Cloud negotiations to Service Cloud interactions and Experience Cloud engagements – is covered.

Native integration ensures rapid deployment and comprehensive security without disrupting your existing Salesforce workflows.

Don’t let human error become your vulnerability in Salesforce security – especially when there are straightforward technologies to mitigate the risk. Whenever you are ready to take the next step, our team is ready to guide you in your Salesforce security.

Parking scams using fraudulent QR codes have been wreaking havoc in popular tourist cities across Europe and North America recently. Have you ever considered that malicious QR codes could infiltrate your Salesforce? Read on to learn what QR code attacks look like, why Salesforce is an attractive target for them, and how you can stop them.

The rise of quishing

It’s not long since Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Cyber Crime Centre, posted a notice about malicious QR codes in phishing attacks. Quishing, or QR code phishing, involves the deceptive use of QR codes to lure unsuspecting individuals into visiting malicious websites. There they are tricked to reveal personal credentials, or unknowingly download malware. QR codes are used for everything from restaurant menus to ticket validations. At the the same time, cybercriminals have found ample opportunities for exploitation. Distinguishing between legitimate and fraudulent QR codes is difficult for human eyes. Fortunately, there are preventive security technologies – now also for Salesforce.

Examples of quishing attacks in the wild

A typical quishing email might mimic an official communication from a known corporation. It can for example urge the recipient to scan a QR code to handle something urgent, like reset a password or verify an account.

Another method involves embedding a QR code inside a seemingly innocent message related to work processes like payroll or security updates. One of the recent examples targeted a major energy company in the US with a campaign that imitated a Microsoft security notification.

On the other hand, scammers have also found ways to abuse QR codes scams in public spaces. Such example is the recent QR parking scam in popular tourist cities across UK. The scam involves malicious QR codes, often placed on parking meters, that direct users to phishing websites. Unsuspecting victims enter personal information, including payment details, under the guise of paying for parking. As a result, they potentially face double trouble with both financial fraud and a parking ticket.

10,000 victims have already fallen for the said parking scam in a matter of two months. Therat actors have launched similar campaigns across Europe, United states and Canada. These scams often target tourists who are not familiar with the local parking apps, thus easier to deceive.  

The quishing attack kill-chain

In the digital world, quishing typically begins with a QR code sent via email or text. The recipient then scans the code with a mobile device. The victim is then redirected to a harmful site.

The phishing site typically mimics a legitimate business resource, login page, or document portal. The page then prompts the employee to enter their credentials or download a file.

By entering their credentials, employees inadvertently provide attackers with access to their corporate accounts. Attackers can use the credentials to harvest sensitive information or launch an attack within the organization.

The process capitalizes on the established trust in QR codes. QR codes are handy to roll out covert operations. Quishing attacks are often harder to detect than traditional phishing attacks, or ones with the malicious link plainly imbedded in the message text. As these codes simply appear as nondescript, benign images, they bypass usual text-based URL scans implemented by most email and collaboration security systems.

QR code phishing tactics:

• Integration in familiar platforms: Quishing often uses popular platforms to reach a broad audience, and to exploit trusted services and brand names to increase the success rate of attacks.
• Sophistication in execution: By embedding malicous QR codes within messages, attackers can bypass conventional security measures which might not scan URLs embedded in images.
• The psychological play: The decision to scan a QR code often happens impulsively, thanks to the established norm of their use in safe contexts. This impulsivity is what quishers count on, reducing the victim’s likelihood of pausing to consider the potential dangers.

What makes QR code phishing especially tricky on Salesforce

All in all, malicious QR codes pose a significant threat to enterprises, and when delivered through platforms like Salesforce, they can be particularly effective and damaging. Here’s why Salesforce is a lucrative vector for such attacks, and why you should secure your platform without delay:

High trust environment

Users view Salesforce as a trusted platform for daily tasks in sales management, and customer support. Employees are less vigilant about scrutinizing communications received through this platform, assuming a baseline level of security and trust. This trust can make QR codes sent through Salesforce particularly effective as employees may be quicker to scan them without suspicion. The scam itself could even leverage Salesforce’s brand identity. QR codes also employ common and seemingly harmless image types, decreasing suspicions.

Widespread use in organizations

Especially large enterprises use Salefsorce widely, which provides a broad attack surface. Malicious QR codes distributed through Salesforce can potentially reach a large number of users quickly, making it the attackers dream.

Mobile device engagement

Salesforce is frequently accessed via mobile devices, which aligns well with the nature of QR code scanning. Mobile devices are often less secure than desktops, with users typically having weaker security controls and being more prone to overlook security prompts when they are on the move. If bring-your-own-device (BYOD) is allowed, the mobile device may be a personal unmanaged device, with even weaker security measures in place.

No antiphishing blocking the way

While Salesforce offers robust security features, there are no antiphishing capabilities by default. There likely is no layer of protection in the Salesforce environment to detect or prevent the distribution of malicious QR codes, opening a pathway for the attackers.

You need more than awareness to prevent Salesforce QR code quishing

While educating users about the potential threats of randomly scanning QR codes is without a doubt important, true prevention requires a multifaceted approach:

• Advanced threat protection: You should implement antiphishing security solutions that can recognize and examine QR codes within Salesforce uploads, analyzing the linked URLs for malicious content before they reach end users.
• Regular security audits: Incorporating QR code-based phishing into routine security audits and risk assessments helps identify and remediate security gaps. Make sure to ensure that Salesforce is covered thoroughly in security audits.
• Limit access privileges: Although Salesforce has enforced multi-factor authentication for MFA for internal users, it’s wise to limit access rights to what a user’s role requires, and follow the least privilege approach.
• Update software and configurations: Ensure all integrations are updated with the latest security patches, and verify that your antiphishing scanning solution is properly configured to detect malicious QR codes.
• Limit use of BYOD: Some of the biggest vulnerabilities lie when employees use personal devices outside corporate security measures to access phishing sites that harvest account credentials.
• Educate Salesforce users: Continuously educate users about the risks associated with QR codes, emphasizing the need for vigilance even when using trusted platforms like Salesforce.

Block malicious QR codes on Salesforce automatically

You need a blend of vigilance and advanced security solutions to prevent covert phishing tactics like quishing. Luckily you can protect your data and Salesforce users from these hidden scams behind simple scans. WithSecure™ Cloud Protection for Salesforce scans malicious URLs in Salesforce text fields, behind QR codes and within uploaded documents. Our AntiQuishing feature was built as a response to a real-life phishing attack that our enterprise customer faced, where Salesforce was the target of malicious QR codes.

Contact our team for a free consultation, take our free Salesforce risk assessment (done in minutes, no access to your environment needed), or test drive on AppExchange right away.

Salesforce AntiQuishing

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