Malware Introduction — What is Phishing?

As the cyber landscape evolves and changes, businesses and organizations must find ways to cope with the ever-increasing malware threats. None of the malware threatening businesses and individuals is more common than phishing.

Phishing is best described as a form of cyber attack that tricks individuals into revealing sensitive information. Phishing attacks can be carried out in several different ways, such as through email, text messages, or social media.

Due to the nature of these attacks, individuals and entities must find ways to protect themselves from a phishing attack. One way is to obtain spam and malware protection for your business.

These attacks can result in financial losses, identity theft, and other types of damage. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the different types of phishing attacks and how to protect against them. But before that, let’s dive deeper into what phishing is.

What Is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack that is used to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card numbers, and other personal information.

The attacker typically impersonates a trustworthy entity, such as a bank or a legitimate business, and uses this false identity to lure the victim into providing the requested information.

Phishing scams can be carried out in several different ways. Some of the most common methods include:

• Email phishing: Attackers will send fraudulent email phishing messages that appear to be from a reputable source, such as a bank or an online store. Phishing emails will typically ask the victim to click on a link that takes them to a fake login page, where they will be prompted to enter their username and password. A business email compromise attack is the most common email phishing attempt.
• Spear phishing: This type of attack is more targeted than generic phishing attempts. The attacker will research the victim and tailor their spear phishing attack to make it appear more legitimate. Spear phishing campaigns are considered purposefully targeted attack on an employee or employees from a particular company or organization.
• Smishing: Similar to email phishing, smishing is carried out via text message. The attacker will send a fraudulent text message that appears to be from a trustworthy source, such as a bank or a utility company.
• Vishing: Vishing attacks are carried out over the phone. The attacker will call the victim and impersonate a legitimate entity, such as a bank or government agency, to convince the victim to provide personal information.

How Phishing Works?

Phishing attacks work by exploiting the victim’s trust in a legitimate entity. The attacker will create a fake website or phishing email that appears to be from a trustworthy source, and then lure the victim into providing their personal information. This can be accomplished in several different ways, such as by impersonating a bank official or coworker.

Email is one of the most common attack vectors for phishing scams. Cybercriminals will send fraudulent emails containing a malicious link that the user needs to open. Once the victim opens the link, they will be tricked into entering their user IDs.

Once the victim enters their login credentials, the attacker can use this information to access their account. They can then carry out various malicious activities, such as stealing funds or using the victim’s identity to carry out further attacks.

Successful phishing attacks result in losing sensitive data, financial information, and more. In some cases, hackers create phishing websites specifically to harbor malware in downloadable files. Once the victim clicks on the phishing links, they will download malware to their computer. The malware can be anything from spyware to trojan horses.

How To Protect Against Phishing

To protect or prevent phishing attacks, users must turn to a combination of technical and human controls. Some of the best practices for protecting against phishing include:

• Be cautious of emails from unknown sources: Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown sources. If an email appears suspicious, contact the supposed sender directly to confirm the email’s legitimacy.
• Use strong passwords: Strong passwords are an important line of defense against phishing attacks. Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to create a strong password.
• Enable multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to your accounts. This makes it more difficult for attackers to access your accounts, even if they have your login credentials.
• Keep your software up to date: Keeping your software up to date is an essential component of protecting against phishing attacks. Software updates often contain security patches that address known vulnerabilities.
• Educate employees: Employees are often the first line of defense against phishing attacks.

Conclusion

Phishing is a common cybersecurity threat used to trick users into opening fake websites and asking the victim to enter their login credentials and steal sensitive data. Phishing can also be used to steal credit card details and install malware on devices.

That makes phishing one of the most common and dangerous malware. To avoid a phishing scam, users must learn how to detect phishing attempts before it’s too late. In addition, you can dive deeper into the subject and research related phishing resources to uncover the true damaging potential of phishing.