What is Phishing Attack?

[ScamShield]

A phishing attack is a cyberattack that tricks people into sharing sensitive information, such as login credentials, financial information, or money. The attacker may also try to install malware on the victim's device. [1, 2, 3]

How does phishing work? [1, 4]

• Phishing attacks often appear to come from a legitimate source, such as a bank or a company. [1, 4]
• The attacker may use a clone of a legitimate website to trick the victim into entering their login credentials. [5]
• The attacker may use threats or a sense of urgency to pressure the victim into responding. [4, 6]

Types of phishing attacks: [1]

Email phishing
The attacker sends fraudulent emails that appear to come from a reputable source. [1, 7]
Spear phishing
The attacker targets a specific person or group. [2]
Smishing
The attacker sends false text messages that request a reply or contain a link to a phishing website. [8]
Vishing
The attacker uses phone calls to trick people into sharing personal information. [9]
Clone phishing
The attacker uses an existing email template and changes a legitimate link to a malicious one. [10]

How to protect yourself from phishing attacks: [1, 6, 9]

• Be skeptical of emails that threaten negative consequences.
• Be careful about sharing sensitive information over the phone or online.

Sources:
[1] https://www.cisco.com/c/en_in/products/security/email-security/what-is-phishing.html
[2] https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/spear-phishing
[3] https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/phishing
[4] https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/what-is/phishing/types-of-phishing.html
[5] https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/phishing
[6] https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/what-is-phishing/
[7] https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/email-security/what-is-phishing.html
[8] https://www.globalsign.com/en/blog/what-is-phishing
[9] https://www.terranovasecurity.com/solutions/security-awareness-training/what-is-vishing
[10] https://hoxhunt.com/blog/clone-phishing