Phishing is a cybersecurity attack where malicious actors impersonate trusted entities to manipulate users into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. Common methods include email phishing, spear phishing targeting specific individuals, whaling aimed at senior management, and variations like smishing (SMS) and vishing (voice calls). Attackers often create urgency or threats to compel victims to act without verifying the authenticity of the communication.

1. PHISHING
BY: AG Osuri

2. WHAT IS PHISHING?
This a type of cybersecurity attack during which malicious actors send
messages pretending to be a trusted person or entity. Phishing message
manipulates a user, causing them to perform actions like installing a malicious
file or clicking a malicious link.

3. How does Phishing work?
● The basic element of a phishing attack is a message, sent via email,
socialor electronic communication means.
● A phisher may use public resources e.g. social networks to collect
background information about personal and work experience of their
victim. They can gather the victim’s: name, job title,email address as well
interests and activities.
● The phisher then sends out and email based on the above and makes it
believable to the victim and the attackers might attempt to collect private
information like usernames and passwords, or payment information.

4. Email Phishing
● Most phishing attacks are sent via emails. Attackers typically register fake domain
names that mimic real organisations
● For fake domains they may add or replace characters.
● Many phishing emails use a sense of urgency or a threat to cause user to comply
quiclly without checking authenticity of the email
Email phishing may have some of the goals:
a) Causing the user to click a link to a malcious website in order to install malware on
their device
b) Causing the user to reply and provide personal data

5. Spear Phishing
● This include malicious emails sent to specific people.
● This helps increase the effectiveness of phishing emails and manipulate
victims into performing tasks and activities such as transferring money.

6. Whaling
● Whaling attacks target senior management and other highly privileged
roles.
● The ultimate goal of whaling is the sma as other types of phishing attacks,
the technique is often is very subtle.
● Whaling attackers commonly use bogus tax returns to discover sensitive
data about the victim and use it ti craft their attack

7. Smishing and Vishing
● Smishing involves fraudulent SMS messages while vishing vishing
involves phone conversations
● Vishing an attacker pretends to be a sam investigator for a credit card
company or bank informing victims that their account has been breached.
● The attacker then asks for payment card information to supposedly verify
their identity or transfer money to a secure account