According to the 2020 Data Breach Report
(DBIR), it is reported that Phishing is the second most turbulent form of
security related incidents and stands on the top position in terms of data
breaches. This impacts not just companies but also individuals and can lead to
serious implications like theft of your bank details, personal information etc.
and can have serious implications on both your personal and professional life.
What is
Phishing?
The phishing meaning is rather simple and
there are chances that it may have happened with you at some point in time.
Often, we click on emails that seem enticing and offer amazing offers. Such
emails may lead to data theft in several cases. Phishing is one of the most
common privacy invasion and data extraction technique acquired by several
fraudulent entities in order obtain critical information such as passwords and
usernames.
How to
Protect yourself from Phishing?
The simplest way to do so is by having a
Wallet Care Plan by Bajaj Finserv that helps you to overcome any financial
loses incurred as a result of debit/credit cards frauds and thefts that can
happen as a result of phishing.
To understand phishing better let us know
the different types of phishing attacks and ways of phishing prevention.
Types of
Phishing Attacks
- Deceptive
Phishing: As
discussed above this is one of the most common type of phishing technique
in which involves sharing of emails to groups. The attacker poses as any
renowned organization and sends a fraudulent email to any individual
making it look genuine and authentic. When someone opens the email, it
contains links and URLs which if clicked can lead to data theft and the
attacker can gain access to your sensitive personal data.
- Spear Phishing: As the name suggests, a
spear can hit only one person and that is what this form of phishing
technique does. Unlike deceptive phishing, in this form of data theft, an
email is sent to only one individual and not a group. The targeted
individual is then lured into sharing personal information like bank data
and other personal information. This form of phishing is practiced mostly
on social media.
- Whaling: This is a phishing
technique that is applied on people of high repute such as individuals
working at the executive level, for instance the CEO of an organization.
In such cases the attacker takes time to build up communication and trust
with the victim and after some time shares a phishing email which helps
the attacker to easily extract all the critical information. The risk
posed by such form of phishing is extremely high as the information
available with executives, if stolen can lead to serious damage to both
the individual and his/her organization.
- Pharming: This form of phishing attack
is target to groups of people and can occur through two different ways. 1)
with the help of a malicious code sent to the target through email which
alters all the local host files on the recipient’s system. (2) with the
help of DNS poisoning, which implies the domain name system table is
reworked without causing any change in the system’s local host files.
- Vishing: Phishing can not just
happen through emails but also over Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
server available on your phone. This technique is called vishing wherein
the attacker can imitate several entities by manipulating your VOIP and
cause data theft.
- Smishing: Other than email and voice messages, phishing can
also occur over normal text messages. In this technique a normal message
is sent to the victim which contains URLs and information which if clicked
on can lead to data theft.
How to
Prevent Phishing
There are several ways that can answer
your question of “how to prevent phishing or phishing attack”. The best
approach is to carefully go through the details of any third-party entity
approaching you through any form of digital media. Other tips include-
- Verify URL before clicking
- Install anti-phishing software
- Verify mobile numbers before sharing any
information
- Enroll into online security training sessions
given by organizations
- Do not answer phone calls from unknown numbers.
- It is important to have a Plan B in place in case you are phished. Hence you can go for the Cybersecurity Cover by Bajaj Finserv that will provide you assistance and cover in case you are phished. The plan protects you from monetary losses because of unlawful financial transactions.
