Phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated every year. CNBC notes that phishing attacks increased by 61% in the six months leading up to October 2022 (when compared to the previous year’s numbers). Phishing is a type of data penetration method that relies on trickery, rather than direct hacking.
Instead of trying to crack a network or account, a phisher will work to crack the individual through a variety of masked communication attempts. Perhaps the most noticeable variety is the email that tells a user their password has been compromised and then directs the reader to click the included link to reset their login credentials. This link invariably leads a victim to the phisher’s clone of the site, allowing them to capture login details and access the account directly.
When used to crack back accounts, a phisher might be able to break into a user’s account and promptly transfer themselves the balance of a victim’s accounts. This can also be used to steal important personal data like a Social Security Number that can be used to open a new line of credit in someone else’s name.
Password Coach reports that phishing can be made incredibly easy when remote access is enabled because an attacker can tamper with your router directly. In cases where this occurs, connected devices could be forced to redirect to their cloned pages without having to trick you into clicking on a link.
