Spoofing vs. Hacking

The internet is filled with bad actors who exploit people and manipulate them against their will for personal gain or satisfaction. The emphasis on the responsibility for data protection does not solely rest on the individuals alone but it also extends to organizations or companies that process these data that contain sensitive information of users/customers.

Security measures are necessary to mitigate cyber-attacks which is why there’s a huge campaign to inform and teach both individuals and organizations what to do to avoid or prevent these attacks.

There are various means of these attacks that bad actors utilize namely spoofing and hacking, and we’ll be discussing and comparing them in this article.

The concept of spoofing has been around for decades and it involves techniques where an attacker or scammer impersonates or creates a means to deceive and mislead a person or system.

There are different types of spoofing, including; Email Spoofing, Caller ID Spoofing, Website Spoofing, SMS Spoofing, IP Address Spoofing, DNS Spoofing and GPS Spoofing.

The primary purpose of spoofing is to steal sensitive information, infect systems with malware, infiltrate systems / networks and carry attacks like phishing, and DDoS, to steal, cause disruptions and damage reputations.

An attacker can spoof DNS (Domain Name System), delivering malware. The attacker sends a fake response before the real response is received, allowing them to reroute traffic to malicious domains.

The various methods of spoofing involve;

• Users clicking on a link on a compromised website.
• Users downloading a file on a compromised website
• Scammers spoof their numbers, using VOIP systems to appear as anyone they choose.

Example of how a spoofing attack might occur;

An individual browses through a website and unknowingly clicks on something malicious. This action triggers a script in the browser, displaying a warning message claiming the device is at risk and urging the user to contact "support."

If the user falls into the trap of contacting support, they give scammers access to exploit them. The scammer might instruct the user to download a remote-control tool under the guise of connecting them to more secure software, which allows the scammer to access the user's computer.

The scammers may then gather information about the user’s bank details and falsely claim, based on their "analysis," those hackers have accessed the user’s device and compromised their banking details. They might even offer to redirect the user to the bank’s customer service to resolve the matter.

Using the information gathered and the bank details, they exploit the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) software, which converts analog signals to digital. Through a Private Branch Exchange (PBX)— a system used for managing internal call lines—they tweak configurations to make outgoing calls appear as though they are coming from any number they choose. They then use this to request the user’s vital bank information to gain access to their banking application.

The Impact of Spoofing includes the following;

• Identity Theft: Scammers impersonate people and use their identity to commit crimes.

• Operation Interruption: Spoofing attacks can affect systems and services causing operational disruption.

• Reputation Loss: Scammers can cause a company or organization to lose financially or expose sensitive user data which causes damage to the organisation's reputation.

• Financial Loss: Scammers' exploitation causes financial loss to individuals and organizations.

Identifying spoofing can be tricky, however, here are a few tips to identify spoofing;

• Check if the email address matches the display name.

• Misspelt domain names.

• unusual calls from an unknown number.

• Request for sensitive information over the phone.

• Poor quality logos, mismatched fonts or design errors in the website.

• Pop-ups requesting sensitive and personal information.

• Messages that pressure you to perform an action.

• Unexpected redirection to an unfamiliar and suspicious website.

• Poor grammar and spelling in content or messages.

• Email or website requests for sensitive information

• Unrequested or Unexpected attachments.

• No valid SSL/TLS certificate or missing padlock icon in the URL.

Here are a few tips to prevent spoofing;

• Do not disclose personal and sensitive information online unless the source is trusted.

• Avoid clicking links or opening attachments from emails or sources you're unfamiliar with.

• Add layers of security to your online accounts like 2FA (Two Factor Authentication) to make it hard for hackers to access your devices or accounts.

• Ensure that you understand the privacy and security settings of the websites you visit. Reviewing and properly configuring the privacy and security settings can secure your account.

• The use of email filters and spam settings can help to remove suspicious emails. Most email services have spam to prevent attackers from sending malicious emails.

• Use a trusted antivirus and anti-malware program to detect malicious scripts and websites.

• Ensure your software is updated, it reduces the risk of malware and security breaches.

• Do not answer calls or respond to emails from unknown senders.

• Manually verify email headers and IP addresses, and you can track the path the email took from the sender's server to your inbox. If the email header doesn't match with the sender, it may be spoofed.

• If something looks suspicious, it probably is. Visit secure sites and thoroughly check messages or emails that appear suspicious

Hacking is the exploitation of devices like smartphones, computers and networks to damage, steal data and information or disrupt services. A hacker is a skilled person in IT (Information Technology) who performs the act of hacking using unconventional means.

The purpose of hacking varies, and It is often for financial gain. Hackers gain access to systems to steal passwords, confidential documents, account details etc., from unsuspecting individuals or entities. There have been cases where an organization was hacked for self-gratification and payback. It could also be to make a political statement, revolt or protest also known as Hacktivism.

There’s also a misconception that surrounds the term hacking. A hacker or the technique of hacking is usually viewed as something negative, however, there are people in this profession who hack systems and devices for positive reasons.

For instance, ethical hacking also known as white-hat hacking help organizations fix weaknesses within their systems to avoid being exploited by bad actors. They enhance the security and protect sensitive data and also conduct research to develop tools to strengthen digital systems.

There are other positive aspects like digital activism to promote free speech and force top leaders in industries to be accountable regarding global issues, etc.

There are different types of hackers and they include; white-hat, black-hat, script kiddies, hacktivists, etc. Here’s an article that talks more about different types of hackers in detail.

Types of hacking attacks include:

Phishing Attacks

A phishing attack is a type of attack that involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, etc., this could also be tricking individuals into downloading malware that gives the attacker access to their systems.

Malware Attacks

Malware is a cyberattack where malicious software is sent into a system to disrupt, damage or gain access to the system. An example of malware is called trojan which looks like legitimate software but it contains malicious contents or functions to harm the system or retrieve sensitive data,

Denial of Service

In Denial of service (DDOS), an attacker or attackers use multiple compromised systems to overload a system or network with a flood of traffic causing failure which disrupts the user's activities. The attackers may demand ransom to stop the attack and get the network or system running properly. It is also used by ethical hackers to test a system's resilience.

SQL injection

SQL injection is where attackers exploit SQL query vulnerabilities in a database. The vulnerability could be in the input field of a form within a web application and is exploited to access, manipulate or delete data within a database.

The differences between spoofing and hacking are highlighted as follows;

According to Secure Frame, the cost data of data breaches increased by 10% in 2024 from 2023 reaching an all-time high of $4.88M, and nearly half of all breaches involved customer personal information such as tax identification numbers, emails, home addresses, etc. During the third quarter of 202,4 data breaches exposed more than 422 million records worldwide.

This record is quite high, raising the question, is the process of securing data falling short or is there just too much data to protect?

Even with these concerns, individuals, businesses or organisations need to take measures to prevent them from being exploited by these attackers.