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.
What is Spoofing?
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.
