Don't talk to strangers. Especially if they're sending you phishing emails.
Hackers trick you into opening phishing emails by pretending to be from a trusted source. This often starts with them getting a domain name that resembles one you recognize. Here's how they do it, and tips on how to protect yourself using a past campaign just as a learning example.
The Jon Ossoff campaign's domain was https://electjon.com/ Hackers will typosquat - register domains that sound similar to their target. Misspelling the real domain name redirects users to a fake website controlled by hackers. Phishing attacks also use these domain names as well because emails from them look 'real' at first glance.
TIP: Find domain names similar to yours, and register them before a hacker does.
Finding similar sounding domain names is simple with free services like DNStwister. It suggests domains along with their ownership and potential danger level. For the Ossoff campaign domain it generated similar names like electon.com,electjoni.com, electjob.com ...
Each domain name suggested is also ranked against Google Safe Browsing which maintains a list of reported phishing sites and sites that host malware.
Who owns domain names that resemble yours? Find out with the WHOIS lookup on DNStwister. It turns out that the site www.electon.com (now inactive) belonged to someone in Saint Petersburg, Russia!
Be safe. Pre-emptively register domains that resemble yours to deny them to hackers. And take a close look at the originating domain name before you open any email.
Co-Founder, DemLabs