Phishing - Internet Scam

Phishing is an internet scam with the intent of collecting credit card information, passwords Social Security numbers and other personal information for fraudulent purpose. The phishing works simply by making users enter information in a webpage link sent by (e-mail) similar to a real one. After the information whether it is a credit card number, a bank account or other information as a social security number, it goes to a different destination from the original site.

Pharming is similar to Phishing. The only difference is that a person can access the Pharming website naturally on their own as if it was the real website while the phishing is a notice received by e-mail with the link phishing website. Pharming is a fraudulent website that contains a copy of the legitimate one to fool people and collects any information possible for illegal acts. According the textbook, many servers that are weak can let this go unperceived and many webservers are located in China.

Spoofing is an e-mail that threatens the target email by getting information to do fraudulent acts. This one also works like Phishing and Pharming. Identity theft is the main idea of Spoofing. An attacker might use a legitimate website but this attacker which we call middle Man, using a spoofing tool can gain access to8 the network in the middle of the connection. Once the information is entered and submitted by a person, this information is redirected to a different server. In other words, the Spoofing changes the DHCP and instead of the information going to the right destination; it goes to the bad people.

There are other types of Social Engineering as the one which a person manipulates others to get password or any other type of information among others.