What is Spoofing?

Sourced by: Fortra Terranova Security

Spoofing is when a cyber criminal disguises themselves as an individual, business, or entity to commit malicious acts.

Cyber criminals utilize various tactics to spoof their identity, ranging from spoofed email addresses, websites, or phone numbers to more advanced strategies like fraudulent IP addresses, Domain Name Servers (DNS), or Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). Regardless of the tactics used, the goal of a spoofing scam is to steal from victims and damage their reputations.

Cyber criminals leverage common social engineering maneuvers and employ fake email addresses, websites, or phone numbers to trick victims into divulging confidential information, downloading attachments, or clicking links that install malware.

Scammers ease the average victim's suspicion by relying on entities most people are familiar with, such as recognizable brands, financial institutions, government offices, and so on. As a result, their guard is let down, making it possible to take advantage of the human nature of trust.

For more information and examples of spoofing, click here