Protect from Phishing while using internet

In technically progressive age, communication system has made revolution. People as well as multinational firms have adopted internet technology to interact with global audiences. Email is embedded in the lifestyle of users. Advent of internet tools offers exciting opportunities for users but it also raised numerous security challenges. In the web of security threats, phishing attacks have interrupted the smooth functioning computers and users have to bear huge loss in terms of money.

Phishing is a deceitful type of internet identity theft that intends to steal highly sensitive information such as bank account passwords and credit card information from users. Phishing is also termed as brand spoofing, carding. In general view, Felons use phishing attacks to entice the unsuspecting into visiting a deceitful web site, calling a fake phone number, or downloading malicious software, expressly to access subtle data. Phishing tricks are noticeable in present scenario and great concern for computer security personnel as such attacks have been mounting at great pace.

Phishing is common deceitful tactics that has severe information security challenges for users as well as companies. Hackers use diverse techniques such as email, social media, phone calls, and other form of communication to access passwords, credit cards, or other sensitive information. In this way, they can to steal valuable data. Business companies have to face unimaginable monetary loss due to phishing.

Phishing email messages, websites, and phone calls are intended to grab coinage. Cyber crooks perform this by connecting malicious software on user’s computer or stealing personal information of his/her computer. Cybercriminals also use amalgamation of social engineering and technical spoofing techniques to motivate users to share sensitive information. 

There are certain security measures that businesses or users must espouse to avoid falling victim to phishing attacks.

Attackers use various phishing techniques to fetch sensitive information:

-      Inserting a link in an email that redirects company employee to an unsecure website that demands sensitive information.

-      Another phishing attack can be done through installing a Trojan via a malicious email attachment or advertisement which will allow the stalker to exploit loopholes and find sensitive data.

-      Spoofing is also a type of phishing in which stalker address in an email that looks as an authentic source and request sensitive information. In this way, intruders gain access to one's bank account, computer system or to steal personal information, such as passwords.

-      Malware is kind of software intended to infect user’s computer without their knowledge. Malware is used to obtain personal information, send junk email, or spread more malware.

-      Attackers also steal sensitive company information over the phone by mimicking a giant company vendor or IT department.

-      Clone phishing is used by cyber criminals to attack on user’s computer. In clone phishing, hacker tries to clone a web site that victim frequently visits. The clone web site usually asks for login identifications, imitating the real websites. This will allow the assailants to save these identifications in a text file, database record on his own server, then the attacker forwards his victim to the real websites as authenticated use.

Attack Sites are websites that try to infect computer with malware when you visit. These attacks cannot be detected easily even a site that looks safe may be secretly trying to attack user.

Useful steps by users to protect itself against phishing:

Preventive measures must be adopted to evade phishing attack on computer.

-      Organization have responsibility to conduct training program educate their employees and run mock phishing scenarios.

-      As a preventive action, it is important to deploy a SPAM filter that detects viruses, blank senders.

-      To avoid phishing attacks, users or company’s cyber security professionals must maintain all systems with the latest security patches and updates.

-      It is advisable to install an antivirus solution, schedule signature updates, and monitor the antivirus status on all equipment.

-      Users must deploy a web filter to block malicious websites and encrypt all sensitive company information.

-      Convert HTML email into text only email messages or disable HTML email messages.

Phishing is solemn security threat in electronic communications that attempt to steal personal data and password. It is in practice since last few years and users easily fall victim in responding to persuasive emails of cyber offenders. These cyber crooks are continually successful in their goal as users still not aware of modern techniques of computer or due to illiteracy of some computer operations. Phishing practices permits the attackers to steal the sensitive user information competently.