Phishing is a form of social engineering in which an attacker sends a fake message to a person, they are trying to get private information. This can be used to install malware on their computer too.
Victims are fooled into opening emails, instant messages, or text messages that contain harmful malware by attackers.
Malware can be installed and the computer can be locked down as part of an attack by ransomware. Moreover, private information might be revealed after clicking on a dangerous link included in the email.
The repercussions of an attack can be devastating. Illegal purchases, theft of cash, and identity theft are just a few of the dangers of individuals.
Phishing is also used to create a foothold in commercial or government networks in combination with an advanced persistent threat (APT) incident.
Security perimeters can be circumvented and the virus can be propagated within a closed environment. In addition, protected data can be obtained by infiltrating individuals.
Following such an attack, a corporation is likely to incur considerable financial losses. It can face a drop in market share, a decrease in reputation, and consumer trust in the brand.
This type of attack can quickly spiral out of control into a full-fledged security disaster for an organization. It depends on the severity of the breach.
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Phishing Protection With Proxies
With proxies, phishing attacks can be prevented using a mix of access management and web application security solutions:
You may use twofactor authorization to protect your website or online application URLs. Proxies like MIH Proxy, Kproxy, and Rayobyte residential proxy have this functionality. With a few mouse clicks, the solution is ready to use in a matter of minutes.
Using a proxy, you can manage user roles and privileges without the need for any additional hardware or software.
Proxy services are cloud-based service that prohibits harmful queries from reaching your network. Malware injection efforts by compromised insiders and XSS attacks resulting from phishing are among the threats to be prevented.
Phishing Attack Examples
An example of a typical phishing scam is as follows: 
To reach as many professors as possible, a counterfeit email from myuniversity.edu was delivered to many people.
A password expiration warning has been sent to the user through email. Renewing a password can be done by visiting myuniversity.edu/renewal.
Clicking the link can lead to a variety of outcomes, for example:
The “MyUniversity” mail redirects the user to a fake renewal page that asks for both a new password and an existing one. To access restricted parts of the university network, an attacker monitors the page and steals the original password.
The user is redirected to the website to reset their password. Many privileges were granted to the perpetrator as a result of their successful mirrored XSS assault on the university network.
Phishing Techniques
1. Email Phishing Scams
Phishing via email is a tally game. An attacker can obtain a considerable amount of data and money by sending many fake messages to many people. There are several strategies that attackers employ to improve their chances of success.
When it comes to the design of phishing communications, they’ll make sure that they look like emails from legitimate organizations. A message’s legitimacy is bolstered by using the same credentials across all communications.
In addition, by creating a false feeling of urgency, cybercriminals often entice their victims to take action. Emails threatening account closure and putting the recipient on a timer might be an example. Applying such a high-pressure level makes the user more prone to making mistakes.
As the most prevalent spam, links in communications with misspelled domain names or additional subdomains constitute spam. This appears to be a secure connection based on the similarity of the IP addresses. As a result, the target is completely ignorant that they are being attacked.
2. Spear Phishing
On the other hand, Spear Phishing targets a specific individual or organization rather than a swath of app users at random. In this more advanced form of phishing, the scammer must have intimate knowledge of the organization’s hierarchy to be successful.
As an example of how an attack may go:
To commit this crime, an assailant looks for the identities of marketing department personnel. Then he uses that information to acquire access to recent project bills.
The project manager (PM) is asked to log in to access the document. The attacker takes the user’s credentials, obtaining complete access to the organization’s network’s sensitive sections.
Spear phishing is an efficient way to launch an APT assault because it provides the attacker with authentic login credentials.
How To Prevent Phishing
To avoid being the victim of a phishing scam, both individuals and businesses must take precautions.
Users need to be on their guard at all times. Inconsistencies in a forged message can betray its true origins. As shown in the above URL, spelling errors and domain name modifications are examples. Stop and think about why you’re getting this email in the first place.
Businesses can adopt Anti-phishing and anti-spear phishing measures to protect themselves against both types of assaults.
To prevent phishing attempts, two-factor authentication is the best technique. It ensures that only authorized users may access important systems. Passwords and usernames are required, as well as mobile devices, for two-factor authorization to work. Two-factor authentication prevents unauthorized access even if a user’s credentials have been hacked.
Strong password standards should be enforced by enterprises. Employees or users are required to update their passwords regularly. Furthermore, they should not have access and use the same credentials for several applications.
The public should be educated on safe practices such as not clicking on links in emails from unknown senders. It can help to reduce the risk of phishing attempts.
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Conclusion
Phishing is a social engineering attack that is prevalent nowadays. It includes stealing users’ data like credit card numbers and other personal information. There are many phishing techniques used such as phishing via email and spear phishing.
An example of phishing is a counterfeit email from myuniversity.edu being delivered to people. A password expiration warning can be sent to the user. Through this, the attacker monitors the page and steals the original password.
The prevalence of phishing and the losses caused by it can be minimized by proxies. It requires a mix of access management and web application security solutions. The correct application of existing technologies and developments in security technology can also prevent phishing.