Simulated Phishing Email Header Manipulation via SMTP Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Phishing attacks pose a significant threat to cybersecurity, as they exploit human behavior to gain access to organizational systems and personal information, and simulated phishing attacks struggle to effectively train users without appearing too genuine, risking confusion and ineffective training.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating simulated phishing emails that display non-recipient users' email addresses as recipients, using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to identify only the intended recipient, creating a realistic yet recognizable false message by incorporating familiar names in the email headers without actually sending the email to those users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If simulated phishing emails include real recipient names and addresses to look genuine, then realism increases, but confusion with actual phishing attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates fake email addresses that visually copy the structure of real email addresses (e.g., using similar domains like 'company-secure.com' instead of actual company domains). These fake addresses are designed to look authentic at a glance but are clearly fabricated, allowing users to recognize the phishing attempt while understanding the copying technique used by attackers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of realism to different parts of the email. The sender address uses a fake but plausible domain, while the recipient address field contains the actual user's real email address. This selective realism creates a scenario where the email looks legitimate in parts but has obvious indicators of being fake in other parts, helping users distinguish between simulated and actual phishing attacks.
2Reliability
If simulated phishing emails are sent to multiple users including recipients, then realism increases, but actual harm to users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the email delivery process into two distinct parts: the visual display portion and the actual delivery portion. The email header shows multiple recipients including the target user and fake addresses, but the actual SMTP transmission is configured to send the email only to the target user's real email address. This segmentation allows the email to appear sent to multiple people for realism while ensuring only the intended recipient actually receives it, preventing harm to other users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a mail server as an intermediary that processes the email differently for display versus delivery. The mail server receives the email with multiple recipient addresses, displays them in the header for realism, but then filters and delivers the email only to the validated real email address. This intermediary layer prevents fake email addresses from actually receiving the email, eliminating the risk of harm to non-recipient users.
3Reliability
If simulated phishing emails use real email addresses of non-recipient users, then realism increases, but confusion about who received the email increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates fake email addresses that copy the format and domain structure of real addresses (e.g., using 'company-secure.com' instead of actual company domains). These copied addresses appear in the email header to show the email was sent to multiple people, but their obviously fake nature (through domain analysis) prevents confusion about actual delivery, as users can easily identify which addresses are real and which are fabricated.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for creating simulated phishing attack messages that have characteristics which make them appear genuine, while also having characteristics that a user should recognize as being false. Simulated phishing emails may appear to be more realistic to a recipient user if the user observes that the email has also been sent to an individual known to the recipient within the same company. However, it may not be desirable to send the simulated phishing email to such additional recipients. The systems and methods include communicating a simulated phishing email from a server of a simulated phishing attack system to a recipient user of an entity. The simulated phishing email appears to the recipient user as though it is also addressed to one or more non-recipient users of the entity, even though the email is not sent to the non-recipient users.