- Phishing is a type of cyber attack where attackers deceive users by sending emails or messages that appear to come from trusted sources, tricking them into revealing sensitive information like usernames and passwords.
- Attackers often copy legitimate websites and create fake login pages that look identical to the real ones. When users enter their credentials, the data is stolen by the hackers.
- The purpose of phishing attacks is to steal personal data for malicious activities such as identity fraud, unauthorized access to computer networks, or stealing private emails and customer records.
- Spear phishing is a targeted form of phishing where attackers gather personal information about the victim (e.g., from social media) to craft highly convincing messages using names of friends, family, or job details.
- One way to spot phishing attempts is to carefully check the URL in the browser’s address bar; attackers often use domains that look similar to legitimate ones but are slightly different (e.g., “accounts-google.com” instead of “google.com”).
- To protect against phishing, users should always verify the website address before logging in and, if unsure, search for the official site directly rather than clicking links in emails.
- An even better security measure is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires a second form of verification beyond just a password, making it much harder for attackers to gain access even if they steal login credentials.
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