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
Callback Phishing
Malware/Ransomware
Extortion
BEC/Fraud
Spam
Tactics & Techniques (15):
Impersonation: Brand
PDF
QR code
Social engineering
Image as content
Free file host
Evasion
Free email provider
Free subdomain host
Encryption
Out of band pivot
Impersonation: VIP
Open redirect
Macros
Spoofing
Rule Name & Severity
Last Updated
Author
Types, Tactics & Capabilities
Brand impersonation: Adobe Acrobat Sign PDF phishing file format template
14h ago
Jun 1st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
PDF
Computer Vision
Optical Character Recognition
File analysis
Attachment: Compensation-themed DOCX with QR code credential theft
4d ago
May 29th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
QR code
Social engineering
Impersonation: Brand
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
QR code analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Exif analysis
Content analysis
Brand impersonation: Figma with malicious document access overlay
6d ago
May 27th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Image as content
Sender analysis
HTML analysis
URL screenshot
Optical Character Recognition
URL analysis
X (Twitter) impersonation with credential phishing motives
18d ago
May 15th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
File analysis
Header analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
Cloud storage impersonation with credential theft indicators
21d ago
May 12th, 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
Attachment: Suspicious PDF created with headless browser
26d ago
May 7th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Evasion
PDF
Content analysis
Exif analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Brand impersonation: SharePoint PDF attachment with credential theft language
29d ago
May 4th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
PDF
Evasion
Computer Vision
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
Header analysis
Whois
Callback phishing via Intuit service abuse
29d ago
May 4th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Evasion
Free email provider
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Callback phishing via Google Group abuse
29d ago
May 4th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Free email provider
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
Attachment: Fake voicemail via PDF
1mo ago
Apr 30th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
PDF
QR code
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
QR code analysis
URL analysis
Brand impersonation: Fake Fax
1mo ago
Apr 30th, 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
Adobe branded PDF file linking to a password-protected file from untrusted sender
1mo ago
Apr 29th, 2026
Sublime Security
Malware/Ransomware
Encryption
Evasion
Impersonation: Brand
PDF
Archive analysis
File analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Optical Character Recognition
Brand impersonation: Amazon with suspicious attachment
1mo 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: Compensation review lure with QR code
1mo 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
Brand impersonation: Toronto-Dominion Bank
1mo 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
1mo 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
2mo 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)
2mo 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
2mo 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
2mo 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
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