HOMOGLYPH ATTACKS: THE TYPO SCAM YOU CAN'T SEE

A homoglyph attack substitutes characters that look nearly identical but come from different writing systems. For example, the Cyrillic letter 'а' (U+0430) appears virtually identical to the Latin 'a' used in English URLs. Attackers register domains like "miсrosoft.com" using these character swaps, then send phishing emails requesting users click links. To the casual observer, the URL appears legitimate, containing no suspicious numbers or formatting anomalies. How to protect yourself: - Hover over links before clicking to reveal the actual URL - Type trusted URLs directly into your browser rather than clicking email links - Check for HTTPS and valid SSL certificates - Be suspicious of unexpected emails requesting account verification - Enable two-factor authentication on critical accounts Security researchers warn that as phishing becomes more sophisticated, visual inspection alone is insufficient. Organizations should implement email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to filter suspicious messages before they reach users.