It doesn’t take much to get us to start ranting about the dangers of phishing, and it’s a topic that we won’t stop talking about for some time. Unfortunately, phishing comes in enough forms that it isn’t always so simple to spot. For this week’s tip, we just wanted to run through the different formats phishing can take, focusing on how to identify each type.
First, let’s briefly review what phishing is.
To sum up phishing, it’s effectively the attacker trying to hack the user, instead of the network. This approach just makes sense. Let’s say you were trying to illegitimately access a business’ network—does it sound more challenging to develop the technical skills and know-how to break past today’s cyberdefenses, or to fool someone into giving you the keys to the castle?
Exactly.
So, attackers come up with phishing schemes, either targeting people on a wide scale or crafting specific attacks with a certain target in mind, and share them through various means of communication. Let’s go over these methods, and the warning signs you need to look out for.
By sending an email that is purportedly from a trustworthy source or authority, phishers are able to extract sensitive information from their targets. As such, phishing emails currently feature a few hallmarks:
Smishing is a form of phishing that is sent via text message, and as such, offers its own warning signs. For instance:
Vishing is a form of phishing where a scammer will call their intended victim directly, seeking to extract personal details from the call’s recipient. Watch out for these red flags:
Phishers will also utilize social media to their advantage, hijacking accounts and again, stealing personal information. To avoid this, keep an eye out for:
Hopefully, this will help you better spot phishing attacks in the future. For more assistance with your business’ IT and cybersecurity, give us a call at 301-571-5040.
About the author
Washington Works has been serving the Bethesda area since 2005, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.
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