Through phishing, criminals and other malicious actors attempt to fool a victim into taking such steps as clicking a malicious link, downloading an attachment, or providing confidential details. The goal is typically to dupe unsuspecting victims into disclosing sensitive information, such as user names, passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data. Generally, these actors will try to trick a person into believing they’re interacting with a legitimate organization or someone from a recognizable business and create a sense of urgency or fear to manipulate victims into taking immediate action.
Successful phishing attacks can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, or corporate data breaches. According to an Ivanti report, CEOs, vice presidents, and other executives are four times more likely to be victims of phishing compared to other employees.
Some common forms of phishing include spear phishing (targeted attacks against specific individuals or organizations), whaling (attacks against high-profile executives), smishing (phishing via SMS text messages), and vishing (phishing via voice calls).
Preventing phishing requires a multi-layered approach that combines user education, technological safeguards, and organizational policies.
