What is a Phishing Attack: Meaning &Types of Phishing Attacks

Why Phishing Attacks Are a Growing Concern

In today's digital era, personal and sensitive information flows freely across various platforms, making it a prime target for cybercriminals. Among the most common tactics used by these criminals is phishing.

What is a Phishing Attack?

Phishing is a deceitful practice where cybercriminals impersonate trusted entities, such as banks, government agencies, or popular service providers, to trick unsuspecting individuals into revealing confidential information. This can include usernames, passwords, credit card details, bank account information, or other sensitive data.

Typically, phishing attacks are executed through fake emails, fraudulent websites, or deceptive phone calls designed to look or sound legitimate. Once the victim shares their details, attackers use this information to commit financial fraud or sell the stolen data to others. Phishing is one of the most prevalent forms of cybercrime and poses a significant threat to digital security.

How is Phishing Carried Out?

Now that we understand phishing attacks means a fraudulent attempt to steal sensitive information, let’s explore how these attacks are executed. Cybercriminals employ well-crafted strategies to exploit victims' trust and trick them into revealing confidential details.

1. Crafting Deceptive Messages

The attacker creates fake emails, text messages, or social media messages that appear to be from trusted entities like banks, government agencies, or popular service providers. These messages often contain urgent requests, such as account verification or problem resolution, to pressure the victim into acting quickly.

2. Using Spoofed Links

The message typically includes a link that leads to a fraudulent website mimicking a legitimate platform. This fake site is designed to steal sensitive data such as usernames, passwords and financial information.

3. Embedding Malware

Some phishing attempts involve attachments containing malware. When opened, these attachments install malicious software on the victim's device, allowing attackers to access or steal data.

4. Masquerading as Support Channels

In some cases, attackers pose as customer service representatives and contact victims via calls or messages, convincing them to share OTPs, UPI PINs, or login credentials.

5. Social Engineering Techniques

Cybercriminals manipulate emotions like fear, urgency, or greed. For instance, emails claiming lottery winnings or threats of account suspension push victims to act without questioning the authenticity of the request.

For a better understanding, let’s look at the step-by-step process of a phishing attack.

• The attacker sends a cleverly disguised email to the potential victim.
• If the victim takes the bait, they will click on the email that will take them to the phishing website.
• Once the victim is on the phishing website, the cyber criminal launches the next phase of the phishing attack. In this phase, the attacker collects the victim’s information.
• The attacker then visits a legitimate website and uses the collected credentials to exploit the victim and launch further attacks on the victim’s connections.

How Does a Phishing Attack Work?

A phishing attack is a calculated and deceptive scheme cybercriminals use to extract sensitive information from unsuspecting victims. The process typically follows these steps:

• Crafting Fake Messages

The attacker begins by creating messages that appear genuine. These could be emails, SMS, or social media messages that mimic legitimate organisations like banks, e-commerce platforms, or government agencies.

Example: An email phishing attack contain a subject like “Urgent: Account Verification Required” to create a sense of urgency.

• Spoofing Trusted Entities

The messages are carefully designed to imitate well-known organisations' branding and communication styles. Fraudulent email IDs, domain names, and logos are used to gain the victim’s trust.

Phishing attack examples: An email from "[email protected]" resembling your bank’s official domain.

• Embedding Fraudulent Links

The message often contains a hyperlink that redirects victims to a counterfeit website. These fake sites closely resemble the legitimate ones and prompt users to input sensitive details like usernames, passwords, and credit card information.

• Redirecting Victims to Fraudulent Websites

Victims are taken to these deceptive sites when they click the embedded links. The attacker captures any information entered here directly for unauthorised use.

• Exploiting the Collected Data

The stolen information is used for financial fraud, identity theft, or sold on the dark web. Attackers sometimes gain access to corporate systems for larger cyber breaches.

Types of Phishing Attacks

Phishing comes in various forms, including:

• Spear Phishing: Targeted at specific individuals or groups.
• Whaling: Aimed at high-profile individuals like CEOs.
• Smishing and Vishing: Phishing via SMS or voice calls.

Different Types of Phishing Attacks

Below is the list of phishing attacks cyber criminals employ to con people.

• Spear Phishing: In spear phishing attacks, the attackers target specific people or firms. They gather all the possible information and then launch the attack. Over 90% of phishing attacks belong to this category.
• Whaling: This phishing attack is more of a trojan horse kind of situation, where the attacker sends whaling scam emails that appear to come from high-ranking individuals, such as a CEO. Often, low-level employees fall prey to such types of phishing attacks, fearing the repercussions that can arise out of any delay. The attacker then uses this chance to transfer a large amount of money to their account.
• Clone Phishing: In a clone phishing attack, the attacker mimics a previously sent legitimate email by modifying the links or attached files of the original emails. Often, the victim will mistake this email as a legitimate one and will respond to the email, which will help the attacker exploit the individual for their own malicious purposes.
• Website Forgery Scam: This is one type of phishing attack in which the cybercriminal targets the victim by creating a pseudo website identical to the legitimate website the victim uses. So, when the person visits a website, for example, a bank, and enters the information, believing the site to be legitimate, the attacker collects the information to rob or sell it to someone else.

This phishing attack is executed by email phishing, a hyperlink inside a forum, or through a search engine. It is extremely difficult to detect fraudulent websites, but not impossible. You just need to pay attention to the URL. If it looks different, if the page is listed as insecure, or if the HTTPS is not on, the site may be meant for a phishing attack.

• Advanced-fee Scam: In this type of phishing attack, the attacker asks for an advance fee to receive money, proceeds, stocks, or warrants, with the promise of repaying the deposited sum later. The criminal also targets investors who either lost money in investment schemes or purchased underwhelming securities.

This phishing attack is popularised by the ‘Nigerian Prince Email’, where the attacker poses as a troubled Nigerian prince seeking help to escape the country, promising to pay a large sum of money. All this is in exchange for a small upfront fee. The best way to counter such types of phishing attacks is to ignore the suspicious requests.

• Account Deactivation Scam: In this phishing attack scam, the attacker plays on the victim's fear and urgency. For example, the cyber criminal calls the target, posing as the representative of the concerned bank. They then claim that the account will soon be deactivated if nothing is done soon. If the victim panics and gives the login details and the password to the attacker, the attacker then uses the details to con the user.

One simple way to avoid such phishing attacks is to visit the website directly and check whether the urgent account status in question is displayed there. Also, go through the URL, and if the website doesn’t look secure, do not enter the details.

What Are the Signs of Phishing?

Write the content about the heading Common red flags in phishing messages:

• Generic greetings.
• Misspellings and grammatical errors.
• Urgent or alarming language.
• Suspicious links or attachments.

How to Protect Yourself from Different Types of Phishing Attacks?

Protecting yourself from phishing attacks involves a combination of awareness, best practices, and the implementation of robust security technologies. Here are key strategies to safeguard against phishing attack attempts:

Best Practices and Security Awareness Training

Educating yourself and others is the first line of defense against phishing attacks in cyber security. Some essential practices include:

• Identifying Suspicious Emails:
• Emails containing suspicious attachments.
• Requests for fund transfers or confidential information.
• Unrealistic threats like account deactivation or jail time.
• Poor spelling and grammar in the content.
• Scrutinising Links: Hover over hyperlinks before clicking to verify their authenticity.
• Creating Strong Passwords: Use unique and complex passwords for each account.
• Being Wary of Urgency: Avoid acting on emails or SMS that demand immediate action.
• Verifying Communication: Double-check with the sender through official channels if a request seems suspicious.

Security Technologies

Even with awareness, phishing attempts can sometimes bypass vigilance. Implementing security tools is crucial:

• Spam Filters and Email Security Software: Block known malicious senders and identify suspicious messages.
• Web Filters: Prevent access to fraudulent websites.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of security beyond passwords.
• Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software: Detect and remove malicious files or activities.
• Endpoint Protection: Secure devices against potential breaches.

Recognising and Responding to Different Types of Phishing

Since phishing attacks can occur on multiple platforms, it’s important to understand the variations:

• Spear Phishing: Verify emails from individuals pretending to be trusted contacts.
• Smishing and Vishing: Avoid sharing personal details over SMS or calls.
• Social Media Scams: Refrain from clicking on unfamiliar links shared through DMs or posts.
• Clone Phishing: Watch for replicas of genuine emails with altered links or attachments.

Reporting Phishing Attempts

Always report any suspected phishing attack to your organisation’s IT department or directly to relevant authorities. Reporting helps in mitigating broader risks.

Conclusion

Phishing attacks exploit human and technological vulnerabilities to gain unauthorised access to sensitive information. These attacks can cause financial loss, identity theft, and reputational damage. You can mitigate risks and stay protected in today’s digital world by combining awareness, best practices, and security technologies. Stay vigilant and always verify before you trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is meant by a phishing attack?

A phishing attack means a fraudulent attempt to steal sensitive information like passwords or financial details by disguising as a trustworthy entity.

2. How harmful is phishing?

Phishing can lead to financial losses, identity theft, and personal or organisational data breaches, impacting both individuals and businesses.

3. What is an example of a phishing attack?

An example is an email that appears to be from your bank, urging you to update your account information via a malicious link.

4. Is phishing a hacker?

Phishing is not a hacker but a method used by cybercriminals to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information.

5. Can you get hacked by phishing?

Yes, falling victim to a phishing attempt can result in unauthorised access to your accounts or systems.