Phishing attacks are a type of social engineering that try to trick users into giving out sensitive information, like their login credentials or credit card numbers. Most of the time, these attacks happen through email or instant messaging, but they can also happen over the phone, through text messages, or even in person.
In a phishing attack, the attacker will often pretend to be a trusted source, like a bank or a well-known company, to get the user to trust them. The email or message could have a link to a fake website that looks almost exactly like the real one. It could also ask the user to download a file or click on a link that installs malware on their computer.
Once the user has given sensitive information, the attacker can use it for many things, like stealing their identity, committing financial fraud, or even getting into corporate networks.
In 2016, attackers used a sophisticated phishing scheme to try to trick Gmail users into giving them their passwords. In the attack, a fake Google login page was used that looked almost exactly like the real one, but was actually hosted on a different website. The attackers sent emails to users that looked like they came from a trusted source, like a coworker or friend, and included a link to the fake login page. Once users gave the attackers their login information, they were able to get into their Gmail accounts and steal sensitive information.
In 2019, attackers used spear-phishing to target employees of a large technology company. This was another type of phishing attack. The attackers pretended to be company executives and sent emails to employees that looked like they came from a real source. The emails had links to a fake login page, which the attackers used to get the employees' login information and get into the company's network.
To avoid phishing attacks, you should always be careful and check the legitimacy of emails and messages before clicking on links or entering sensitive information. Look for signs of suspicious behavior, like emails that ask for personal information or urge you to do something right away. Check the sender's email address for spelling mistakes or other signs that it might be a scam. And always use two-factor authentication whenever you can. This can help keep attackers out of your accounts even if they get your login information.
