Spoofing Meaning

You are free to use this image on you website, templates, etc., Please provide us with an attribution linkHow to Provide Attribution?Article Link to be HyperlinkedFor eg:Source: Spoofing (wallstreetmojo.com)

Spoofing sometimes includes disclosing a person’s sensitive information by a criminal that could trigger a person to perform a course of action, like clicking on an unknown link. This can take place in various ways: like calling, email, URL, text messages on phones, GPS, etc.

Key Takeaways

  • Spoofing is a practice where scammers pose as trusted individuals to gain the trust of others.The main goal of spoofing is to gain access to a person’s software system, steal their information, spread malware, and extort money from them.There are different types- such as email spoofing, call spoofing, face I.D. spoofing, caller I.D. spoofing, and message spoofing.This activity may lead to the disclosure of a person’s sensitive information, which might persuade someone to click on the link and take some action.

Spoofing In Cyber Security Explained

Spoofing in cybersecurity involves two parties -the person who does the spoofing via emails or websites and falls victim to such an act via different methods.

The criminals do this via social engineering a range of malicious activities involving various human interactions. The preparator does this in a very misleading manner in which they gather the information about the person and try to help them by establishing trust. However, in the same process, they create a problem by sending links or injecting malware into the system through bypass networks, file attachments, domain name servers, etc.

Types

Some of the common types of spoofing are:

Examples

Let us look at a few spoofing examples to understand the concept better:

Example #1

A scammer could produce an email that appears to be from a Google wallet. The user receives a warning that their account will be suspended if they don’t click a link. They login to the website and change the password. The user is scammed when they type in the credentials. The hacker now has the credentials to authenticate into the user’s Google Wallet account to ultimately extort money from the user. Social engineering can trick a target user into sending millions of dollars to an attacker’s bank account.

Example #2

Recently, in India, multiple users have complained about receiving messages on WhatsApp and via SMS from unknown sources threatening to disconnect their electricity, phone, or other connections unless they call a specific number. The message threatened to disconnect the power because the customer had not updated their bill.

These attempts frequently mimic reputable companies or personal contacts to persuade the target to click on a link or confidently provide personal information. This case falls under the category of message spoofing.

How To Prevent?

Spoofing can be prevented in the following ways:

  • Users must read the email spoof messages carefully and check if they contain wrong grammar, typos, and poor sentence structure, which is a clear sign that someone is trying to spoof them.Two-factor authentication adds a security layer to the spoofing attacks. The devices should be completely foolproof so that spammer cannot directly enter the systems.Encrypting data can be a great way to attack spammers while interacting with the systems’ data. The internet protocols, such as HTTP Secure (HTTPS), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Shell (SSH), etc., can deter online criminals.Purchasing cybersecurity software is an excellent way to guard against online cybercriminals. Downloading antivirus software is necessary for computer devices as it saves the systems from viruses or other harmful threats.Getting a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is necessary as it helps encrypt the data because the external party cannot read it.Users should set strong passwords in the systems and applications so that scammers can’t easily track the password and break the sensitive and personal information. Therefore, it is best to avoid using the same password for everything.

Spoofing vs Phishing

The key differences between spoofing and phishing are as follows:

This article has been a guide to Spoofing and its meaning. We explain the topic, including its comparison with phishing, examples, types, and how to prevent it. You may also find some useful articles here –

Network communications can be directed to a particular device using the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). Media Access Control (MAC) addresses are converted from Internet Protocol (I.P.) addresses by ARP, and vice versa. ARP spoofing is a Man in the Middle (MitM) attack that enables fraudsters to hijack network device communication. It is also called ARP poisoning.

The act of spoofing involves hiding a communication or identity so that it appears to be coming from a reliable, authorized source. From the typical email spoofing attacks used in phishing attacks to the caller ID spoofing attacks frequently used in fraud, spoofing attacks come in various forms and sizes. Attackers may also target more technical components of a company’s network, such as an I.P. address and DNS server.

  • Financial CrimeNigerian ScamCredit Card Fraud