Check Point Research Identifies Valentine's Day Cyber Threats.

Key Findings

• In January 2025, we observed over 18,000 new Valentine’s/love-related websites, marking a 5% increase compared to the previous month.
  
  
• Of these, 1 in 72 newly registered websites were identified as malicious or risky.
  
  
• Specifically focusing on Valentine’s-related websites, there was a 123% increase in newly registered websites in the past month, which aligns with trends seen in previous years (see visual below).
  
  

Example of an email campaign.

In late January, Check Point Research (CPR) discovered a phishing email campaign aimed at customers with a bogus promise to win a "Valentine basket." The emails, with the subject line "You won … Valentine basket," were practically similar, with the only difference being the business name. Each communication asked readers to complete a few questions in return for a basket, and all emails included the same appealing image.

The attackers attempted to trick users into clicking infected links by fraudulently offering a reward. Many security engines have recognized these sites as phishing, and they were most likely meant to steal personal and financial information.

Unloving A Phishing Attempt.

• Avoid interacting with suspicious emails: If you receive an email with an unfamiliar link, unexpected attachment, or a request for a response, do not click, open, or reply.
  
  
• Report and delete the email: After reporting a phishing attempt, remove the email from your inbox to prevent accidental engagement.
  
  
• Keep your credentials private: Cybercriminals often aim to steal login details, as many people reuse passwords across multiple accounts. Phishing scams use various tactics to obtain your credentials.
  
  
• Be cautious of unrealistic deals: Offers that seem too good to be true, such as an 80% discount on a high-value item, are likely scams.
  
  
• Ensure you're shopping from a legitimate source: Instead of clicking on promotional links in emails, search for the retailer on Google and access their official website from the search results.
  
  

Defending against Phishing Attacks
 
Phishing is one of the most common cyber attacks owing to its simplicity and high success rate. While remaining updated about phishing strategies and best practices is important, modern security solutions can assist identify and prevent these threats before they do harm.