Detection Method: Optical Character Recognition

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) helps systems read and analyze text in images, screenshots, and scanned documents. This method turns visual text into machine-readable content, allowing your security tools to catch things that would normally slip past text-based filters.
OCR can help you detect:
  • Phishing text hidden in images to bypass text-based filters
  • Suspicious language or instructions in scanned documents
  • QR codes with malicious links
  • Brand impersonation attempts using image-based logos or text
  • Requests for sensitive information disguised in images
For example, attackers often embed fake login prompts or instructions to call a "customer support" number in images. These tricks are designed to bypass traditional security filters, but OCR can extract and analyze the text to flag it as malicious before it reaches you.
Blog Posts
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Call Me Maybe? The Rise of Callback Phishing Emails · Blog · Sublime Security
Call Me Maybe? The Rise of Callback Phishing Emails · Blog · Sublime Security
Detecting Credential Phishing using Deep Learning + MQL · Blog · Sublime Security
Detecting Credential Phishing using Deep Learning + MQL · Blog · Sublime Security
Attack Types (6):
Credential Phishing
Extortion
BEC/Fraud
Callback Phishing
Spam
Malware/Ransomware
Tactics & Techniques (15):
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
PDF
QR code
Free file host
Image as content
Evasion
Free subdomain host
Out of band pivot
Impersonation: VIP
Free email provider
Macros
Open redirect
Spoofing
Encryption
Rule Name & Severity
Last Updated
Author
Types, Tactics & Capabilities
Brand impersonation: Amazon with suspicious attachment
6d ago
Apr 14th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
File analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Attachment: Fake voicemail via PDF
6d ago
Apr 14th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
PDF
QR code
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
QR code analysis
URL analysis
Attachment: Compensation review lure with QR code
6d ago
Apr 14th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
PDF
QR code
Social engineering
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
QR code analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
Header analysis
Cloud storage impersonation with credential theft indicators
11d ago
Apr 9th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Free file host
Image as content
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
Brand impersonation: Toronto-Dominion Bank
17d ago
Apr 3rd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Attachment: Legal themed message or PDF with suspicious indicators
17d ago
Apr 3rd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Extortion
BEC/Fraud
Evasion
PDF
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
URL analysis
Whois
Header analysis
Exif analysis
Attachment: PDF bid/proposal lure with credential theft indicators
24d ago
Mar 27th, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
PDF
Social engineering
Free file host
Free subdomain host
File analysis
Content analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
URL analysis
Exif analysis
Callback phishing in body or attachment (untrusted sender)
24d ago
Mar 27th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
Attachment: PDF proposal with credential theft indicators
1mo ago
Mar 17th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
PDF
Social engineering
Evasion
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
URL analysis
Brand impersonation: SendGrid
1mo ago
Mar 12th, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Spam
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Link: Figma design deck with credential theft language
1mo ago
Mar 4th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Evasion
Free file host
Social engineering
Natural Language Understanding
Computer Vision
Optical Character Recognition
URL analysis
URL screenshot
Sender analysis
Impersonation: Recipient organization in sender display name with credential theft image
2mo ago
Feb 17th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Image as content
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Brand impersonation: TikTok
2mo ago
Feb 12th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Brand impersonation: Fake Fax
2mo ago
Feb 5th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Image as content
Free file host
Free subdomain host
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
Attachment: Office file with document sharing and browser instruction lures
2mo ago
Jan 29th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
Archive analysis
File analysis
Macro analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Content analysis
Link: Microsoft Dynamics 365 form phishing
2mo ago
Jan 27th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Evasion
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
URL analysis
URL screenshot
Attachment: Fake lawyer & sports agent identities
2mo ago
Jan 26th, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Impersonation: VIP
Social engineering
Content analysis
Exif analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Attachment: Invoice and W-9 PDFs with suspicious creators
2mo ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
PDF
Social engineering
Impersonation: Brand
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Exif analysis
Content analysis
Callback phishing via e-signature service
3mo ago
Jan 12th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Free email provider
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
Computer Vision
Header analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Attachment: PDF with credential theft language and link to a free subdomain (unsolicited)
3mo ago
Jan 12th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Free subdomain host
PDF
Social engineering
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
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