Phishing Attack

A phishing attack attempts to take advantage of internet communication by sending an individual a familiar-looking email. Attackers hope that the individual will click a link and deploy malicious software and share their data or access to funds.

Most often, bitcoin is stolen by tricking people, not by hacking computers. Phishing attacks usually target email users because email is generally not encrypted or protected. That means individuals using email should be particularly careful to avoid opening attachments or clicking unverified links.

There are several forms of phishing, but all are socially engineered attacks. The common theme is that phishing attackers masquerade themselves as a legitimate company or organization. The attacker will often research its target to increase the likelihood that the target will open that email. To avoid this problem, be skeptical about external emails and be careful which personal details you share on the internet.

Phishing is especially nefarious because it takes advantage of an individual’s trust in internet communication. The proliferation of email and text messaging leads to an expectation of privacy and security, when in reality, those channels are still vulnerable to attacks.