Check Point warns of rising calendar phishing attacks

Cybersecurity firm Check Point has reported a significant increase in phishing attacks utilizing fake calendar invitations, a method referred to as ‘calishing’. Since late September, the company has detected over 300,000 such messages affecting more than 40,000 organizations.

Attackers send .ics files or links to fraudulent meetings, such as fake Microsoft Teams invites. When users click these links, they are directed to spoofed login pages designed to steal credentials. The campaign specifically targets Microsoft Outlook and Teams users, but experts warn that Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Thunderbird users are also at risk.

These fraudulent events often masquerade as urgent notifications, such as unpaid invoices, account security alerts, or delivery updates. The messages may contain links or phone numbers intended to facilitate the theft of banking details, passwords, or the installation of malware.