What is a phishing attack simple definition?
Phishing is a type of cybersecurity attack during which malicious actors send messages pretending to be a trusted person or entity.
What are 5 signs of a phishing attack?
5 ways to detect a phishing email – with examples
- The message is sent from a public email domain.
- The domain name is misspelt.
- The email is poorly written.
- It includes infected attachments or suspicious links.
- The message creates a sense of urgency.
Why is it called phishing?
The Story Behind The Name “Phishing” Analogous to fishing, phishing is also a technique to “fish” for usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information, from a “sea” of users. Hackers generally use the letter “ph” instead of “f” and therefore initially they were known as phreaks.
What are some examples of phishing attacks?
6 Common Phishing Attacks and How to Protect Against Them
- Deceptive Phishing. Deceptive phishing is the most common type of phishing scam.
- Spear Phishing. Not all phishing scams embrace “spray and pray” techniques.
- Whaling. Spear phishers can target anyone in an organization, even executives.
- Vishing.
- Smishing.
- Pharming.
How do phishing attacks work?
In a phishing attack, bait often appears as a compelling email. Attackers go to great lengths to ensure that their emails appear as legitimate as possible. These emails most commonly direct target recipients to an attacker-controlled website that delivers malware or intercepts user credentials.
What is an example of phishing?
An email from PayPal arrives telling the victim that their account has been compromised and will be deactivated unless they confirm their credit card details. The link in the phishing email takes the victim to a fake PayPal website and the stolen credit card information is used to commit further crimes.