In simplified terms, the term phishing is related to another word in the English language, "fishing." This helps us understand more clearly what this practice consists of: through phishing, cybercriminals are able to "fish" for confidential data and information from users and companies through traps and false information.
Using false and attractive information, perpetrators set traps for users to obtain data necessary for carrying out various scams. They may seek various types of data, such as banking information, personal data, confidential company information, among others. This cybercrime can affect all types of people and companies, depending only on the criminal's objective.
When a person falls victim to this type of scam, they may provide important data, such as credit card information, passwords, document numbers, and other confidential information. This attack can seriously compromise a company's security , leaving sensitive information in the wrong hands.
Understand how phishing works
Unlike other types of cyberattacks , phishing attacks do not exploit vulnerabilities in systems or machines. In fact, the main weapon of this type of scam is the vulnerability of people.
This means that the hacker doesn't need technological resources for this; they simply plant traps hoping the victim will believe the fraud and end up providing information. One of the most common forms of this type of attack is email phishing. In this case, victims receive a fake email with an urgent request, which usually contains malicious links and attachments. To better understand how this trap is set, check out this video:
To be realistic, it's common for email phishing scams to come from senders who are companies the user uses or people who are in the victim's network . For example, many phishing emails are supposedly "from" bank managers, company directors, Microsoft, Netflix, or Google.
If we pay attention, at least once in our lives we've received an email that seemed suspicious, one that somehow tried to get us to open a link or an attachment. For this reason, the more realistic the email is, the greater the chances of convincing the victim.
These traps, in the form of links or attachments, can trick users into entering confidential information or installing malicious software, such as viruses, spyware, and ransomware. These malicious files can compromise sensitive and important data and, in some cases, cause irreparable damage to the company.
What is the role of social engineering?
As we said before, the human factor is essential to ensure the success of the scam. In this sense, social engineering is a fundamental resource for this process . With the help of this tool, criminals can mislead users, collecting confidential data and infecting the computers, networks, and devices of the attack victim.
We can understand social engineering as a technique used by cybercriminals to deceive unsuspecting and inexperienced users through traps and false information. By exploiting the victims' lack of experience and inattention , these criminals are able to collect confidential data and infect devices, facilitating the invasion and theft of sensitive information .
What are the main types of phishing?
Based on social engineering techniques , these attacks can target any type of user or company, depending on the criminal's objective. The main types of phishing attacks currently carried out are:
Spear Phishing
This type of attack targets a specific group of victims with the same profile, such as IT managers or those from the same department . In this case, the email delivers specific information about the type of work the victim performs, along with a download link that allows cybercriminals to access networks, collect information, or install malicious software.
Whaling
This phishing attack targets the "big whales," meaning it targets people in high-ranking positions, such as directors, CEOs, or senior representatives of companies and organizations .
It is common for this type of email to contain a security alert or legal issue that may be affecting the business, delivering a malicious link for the victim to obtain more information. In this case, the email may redirect the person to a fake page that requests work-related data or bank account information.
Smishing
Using text messaging (SMS), this attack is very common and can affect any type of user. By sending short text messages, cybercriminals try to get the victim to open a link or click on a phone number to contact them.
A common type of this kind of attack involves SMS messages sent from fake banking institutions , informing the victim that there has been a problem with their account and that it has been compromised. The intention is to trick the victim into entering confidential information that can later be used in financial scams.
Vishing
With the same objective as other types of attacks, this type of phishing seeks to collect personal or confidential corporate information. The difference in this case is that the attack is carried out through a voice call. The cybercriminal may claim to be a representative of a brand, such as Google or Microsoft, and inform the victim that a virus has been found on their network or equipment. They then request that the victim provide their bank details and update their antivirus software.
Along with collecting confidential information, the hacker can also install malicious software, which can corrupt data, steal information, or transform computers connected to the company's network into bots (zombie computers used in DDoS attacks).
Phishing attack via email
This is the most common type of phishing attack used today. With the help of fake emails, criminals try to convince the victim to enter their personal data, banking information, or install malicious software. These emails use social engineering to create a perfect trap that convinces users and leads them into error.
Phishing in search engines
This type of trap is extremely dangerous for companies that do not control internet access within the organization. In an extremely elaborate way, cybercriminals manage to place their fake pages prominently within search engines, causing users to click on them by mistake.
With this, they can obtain banking information, email and social media passwords, and many other data. They can create pages identical to social networks, entertainment websites, and e-commerce pages.
Do you know how to identify this type of attack?
A phishing attack can cause significant damage to the victim or company targeted by the strategy . From financial fraud to the installation of malicious software, the problems caused by phishing can have a major impact.
Often, the dangers posed by this type of attack are underestimated , so users don't take the necessary precautions to avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files without prior verification. It is very important that, in this type of situation, the user knows how to assess the risks and determine the best approach.
It is common for less experienced users to fail to grasp the significant impact that information theft can have on an individual or a company. Because of this vulnerability, it is essential that companies implement a policy of responsible internet use and launch an awareness campaign to prevent this type of problem.
In addition, the company should have efficient tools to make internet use within the company safer, such as internet blocking software. This feature allows the company to manage access more efficiently and keep users away from the main pitfalls present in the virtual environment.
