Phishing

Phishing
A method of social engineering that cybercriminals use when attempting to deceive potential victims into revealing private information about themselves through their computer accounts, such as usernames, passwords, financial data, or bank account numbers. Amassing confidential data to carry out identity theft is among the most common goals of cybercriminals who utilize phishing as an attack vector. Armed with the victim’s confidential information, cybercriminals may them make illegal online purchases in the name of the victim by using their credit card numbers, withdrawing funds from financial accounts, or receiving cash advances on lines of credit, or claiming government benefits using the victim’s social security number. 


Pharming
A variant of phishing. This occurs when a cybercriminal hacks into a domain name server (DNS) to change the Internet protocol address of targeted web sites. This way, users attempting to access the legitimate web sites of financial institutions or retailers are redirected to spoofed websites that can automatically capture their account names and passwords with various types of spyware. Users truly believe they are visiting authentic web sites, but are instead being redirected to bogus sites. These fraudulent sites mirror the actual sites in every which way, but are really fake.




Related Links:
http://www.ftc.gov
http://www.onguardonline.gov
http://www.antiphishing.org
http://www.millersmiles.co.uk
http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/telecom/phishing-legislation-2007.aspx


DANIEL S. ABRAHAMIAN
EXPOSES PHISHING
FEELMYFLAME