If your business operates predominantly online, it goes without saying you’ll want to make every effort to ensure your data is kept safe from any cyberthreat.
While phishing is a common term that most people are familiar with, another type of online attack that businesses need to be wary of is a technique known as spoofing.
In this article, we’ll provide the lowdown on what the difference is between the two, and how you can proactively spot each one, preventing them from having an impacting on your business.
Phishing vs. spoofing – what’s the difference?
Both phishing and spoofing are types of cyberattacks that involve deceiving the receiver.
A phishing attack operates by impersonating a legitimate source, such as a trusted organisation like a bank. The purpose is to acquire personal data such as passwords and credit card information while disguised as a reputable sender.
Spoofing occurs when the cyber-attacker steals the identity of a real person, and uses these details as a disguise to contact the victim. Their primary objective is to acquire sensitive personal information by masquerading as a real user, who is likely someone the victim knows and trusts, such as a friend or colleague.
How do I spot phishing and spoofing attempts?
Depending on the degree of sophistication, a cyber attack can often be relatively easy to spot by taking the appropriate caution.
Bad spelling and grammar can be a tell-tale sign of a fraudulent email. Professional companies like banks will usually have writing and editorial staff to ensure their content is of high quality, and it’s unlikely that an email sent out by a respected organisation will be littered with spelling mistakes.
You should also be wary of generic greetings, particularly if they aren’t addressed to you personally. If you’re receiving communication from a work colleague or organisation, it’s unlikely they wouldn’t address the message to you on a first name basis.
Lastly, NEVER click on a link you have reason to think is suspicious, and NEVER provide your bank details over email. Most banks will routinely send out warning messages to confirm they would never ask for a customer’s details over email – so, no matter how convincing the communication may appear, it’s better to be overly cautious than risk paying for your cyber-attacker’s next meal.
Here at Engage Web, our tech-savvy team offers a support package to our clients to keep their websites running smoothly. If you’re interested in any of our digital marketing services, why not get in touch?
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