2 Responses June 25

Phishing Email

Phishing is one of the most popular forms of cyber-attacks which efficiently provide attackers with all the information they require to infiltrate their targets' systems. It is executed through email, but this has extended over to social media and other messaging services. A phishing attack attempts to trick the target into doing what the attacker wants (Palmer, 2017). In most cases, this may involve revealing passwords to make it easier for hackers to gain access to an organization and retrieve and alter its sensitive data such as bank details. Also, victims may be tricked into clicking a link on the webpage to persuade the user to provide their personal information.

Other cases involve tricking users into downloading and installing malware into their computers (Palmer, 2017). This allows the attackers to make more profit by installing ransomware. In the recent past, hackers have extended their phishing schemes into social media platforms by using fake profiles to trick users into handing over sensitive information to hackers.

            An example of a phishing email I encountered was when I received a fraudulent message from my bank. The email message claimed that someone had attempted to withdraw a certain amount of money from my checking account, a transaction that was made in another location. The email further argued that if the information was not correct, an unknown user might access to my account. According to the message, I needed to exercise a safety measure by visiting a website via a link below the message to verify my personal information. However, as usual, the bank sent me a message through my phone informing me of the email they sent. Moreover, as I opened the site, I noticed the user verification option within the website. According to Vayansky and Kumar (2018), certified identification on a website assures users that they are on the right site. As soon as I noticed the fraudulence of the message, I forwarded the email to my bank as it is a specific requirement by my bank to combat such scams.

References

Palmer, D. (2017). What is phishing? Everything you need to know to protect yourself from scam emails and more | ZDNet. Retrieved 25 June 2020, from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.zdnet.com/google-amp/article/what-is-phishing-how-to-protect-yourself-from-scam-emails-and-more/

Vayansky, I., & Kumar, S. (2018). Phishing–challenges and solutions. Computer Fraud & Security, 2018(1), 15-20.