When PORGiESOFT Security first released the Smishing Report 2022, it was one of the first threat intelligence studies to classify smishing using both linguistic and organisational taxonomies. The findings revealed a sophisticated and fast-evolving threat landscape. At the time, 45 million UK adults (around 71% of the population) had received a smishing text. More than 3,000 attacks were analysed and classified into nine attack classes and thirteen levels, revealing how fraudsters weaponised SMS as a psychological and technical tool. The scale of the problem The report found that smishing was not random. It followed discernible trends and emotional triggers. The top three impersonated sectors were: Banks (Level B) - 39.4% of analysed messages Parcel Delivery Companies (Level P) - 26.3% Government Departments (Level G) - 16.3% Together, these categories represented over 80% of all smishing activity in the UK at the time. Since then, smishing has only grown more complex. Threat actors no

Every year, thousands of people who consider themselves digitally savvy fall victim to scams. It raises an uncomfortable question: if we know fraud exists, why are there still fraud victims? Fraud as psychological warfare Fraudsters craft messages that exploit instinct rather than reason. Their goal is not to outsmart systems but to override our judgment. PORGiESOFT Security’s Threat Intelligence research identifies three recurring emotional triggers in successful scams: urgency, authority and reward. Urgency – “You must act now.” Authority – “This is your bank / your boss / the government / I need a gift card.” Reward – “You’ve won / you’re entitled to a refund.” When these cues appear in moments of stress or distraction, even experienced professionals can react impulsively. In other cases, the intention is simply to pique the interest of the recipient - not necessarily to deceive initially. Cognitive overload in the digital age Modern life floods us with notifications, deadlines and

You can't wait to start shopping this Black Friday, maybe you've even been sent some early deals. How can you stay safe online? Black Friday is an exciting time for businesses, there are so many transactions. In 2021, Black Friday falls on November 26. Last year according to the PwC, 88% of shoppers expected to do their black Friday shopping online and we can expect something similar this year. The surge in transactions saw one card processing firm process over 1,000 transactions per second. Current events remain one of the most important weapons in the arsenal of fraudsters, they exploit current events to make a scam more relevant, more believable and more urgent. Due to the time-limited nature of black Friday deals, the volume of transactions and the ensuing surge in deliveries over the next few days, there’s a strong possibility you or your loved ones could inadvertently become victims of cyber fraud. What can you do to stay safe? We’ll take a closer look at the overall threat land

Smishing, short for SMS phishing, is one of the fastest-growing forms of cyber fraud in the UK. The term describes fraudulent text messages designed to trick people into revealing personal information, clicking on malicious links, or making payments to criminals. At PORGiESOFT, we study smishing attacks, identifying common structures, impersonated brands and linguistic markers. We've found that the majority of mobile phone users had received a smishing text at some point and the problem has expanded each year since. How smishing works Smishing attacks use psychological and emotional manipulation rather than malware. A text message may claim to be from a bank, parcel company or government agency. Common smishing tactics include: “Your package is waiting for delivery.” “Your bank account has been suspended.” “You are eligible for a tax rebate.” When recipients click the link or respond, they are directed to a fraudulent website or prompted to share sensitive details such as login credent

Phishing is one of the oldest and most persistent forms of cybercrime. It refers to the use of fraudulent emails, websites or messages that imitate trusted entities to steal data, deliver malware, or gain unauthorised access to systems. Although email phishing began in the late 1990s, it remains the root cause of most cyber incidents today. Studies show that nearly all cyber-attack incidents begin with a phishing email. Anatomy of a phishing attack The lure: An email appears to come from a legitimate sender - a bank, employer, or supplier. The trigger: The message contains a link or attachment, often using urgency or authority. The action: The victim clicks or downloads, granting the attacker access or leaking credentials. From phishing to vishing and smishing Phishing’s core principles (trust, urgency, deception) now underpin entire branches of cyber fraud: Smishing (SMS phishing) - fraudulent text messages. Vishing (voice phishing) - fraudulent phone calls. Quishing (QR-code phishin

You're a teacher or lecturer in Africa. How can you become 21st-century ready while facing numerous infrastructural and technical challenges? As an Edtech startup that develops solutions for Africa, our customers all face one challenge after another with using technology to teach. There are a few of these challenges and they are mainly infrastructural or technical. However, other teachers have been able to adapt their teaching during this time and our technology can definitely help. In this article, we’ll look at some ways you can keep teaching in Africa while facing infrastructural challenges. CHALLENGE A: Poor internet, limited data or no internet connection WHAT YOU WANT TO DO: You want to create academic documents like Quizzes, Assignment Briefs, Feedback documents for your students HOW YOU CAN DO IT WITH: LIMITED DATA/POOR INTERNET Download and ask our Personal Assistant App for teachers in Africa – Dr. Jane to help you create it. This is because Dr. Jane will work offline and so