Spoofing is one type of cybercrime that is often carried out by hackers. In fact, the Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA), in its study, revealed that there are about 30,000 cases of spoofing attacks every day.
What exactly is spoofing, and what are its characteristics? This article will provide answer to this. You will also learn several types of spoofing and powerful tips to prevent and protect yourself from these threats.
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What is Spoofing
Have you ever received a call or message from someone claiming to be your friend or relative? Well, it could be that you are getting a spoofing attack. In short, spoofing is the act of hackers pretending to be someone you know in order to carry out various criminal activities.
The danger is that spoofing can also target networks and servers. Attackers will later trick your network/server by using someone else's identity (for example, an IP address) so that they are considered a trusted source and gain access to the network/server.
Many things could be the motive for this attack. Apart from obtaining sensitive data or personal information, hackers often use spoofing attacks to gain access to your system, spread malware, earn money, or launch larger attacks such as DDoS attacks and man-in-the-middle attacks. (MITM), and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT).
Without a doubt, spoofing is a huge threat to every company. The problem is that this attack can take control of your entire system and your network and cause data leaks. As a result, your company's reputation can be affected, and you will also experience a significant loss of opinion.
Types of Spoofing
Now, let's study the most common types of spoofing. Some of them are:
1. Website Spoofing
Website spoofing, also known as URL spoofing, occurs when attackers create fake websites to trick internet users. In addition to having a URL that is almost similar to the original site, spoofing websites are also often designed similarly by displaying the official logo, using the same colours and fonts, and equipped with navigation areas and functionality that looks convincing.
For example, attackers create spoofing websites with an interface like Facebook and provide them with a similar login area. From there, hackers steal your account information and then change the password so you can no longer access the account. In some cases, attackers will even infect your device with malware.
2. Email Spoofing
Email spoofing is the act of attackers sending emails using fake sender identities. The motives can vary, such as infecting your computer with various types of malware, stealing sensitive information, or even asking you to pay a certain amount of money.
One example of email spoofing that often happens is when attackers send messages that they have installed spyware on your device and record you while you are doing illegal activities. They then threaten to share the video footage with all your contacts if you don't pay the requested fee.
3. Caller ID Spoofing
Caller ID spoofing is also known as neighbour spoofing. In this type, attackers make a phone call on behalf of people who are close to you. In other words, hackers will use the code number where you live or the area around you.
The problem is that most people tend to answer the phone if the caller has the same area code. Hackers use this to trick you into paying a bill or revealing your personal identity.
4. IP Spoofing
IP spoofing occurs when attackers hide their location or IP address to look like another computer system. The trick is to modify the source IP address in the packet header with the victim's IP address. This type of spoofing is often used to launch DDoS attacks.
5. GPS Spoofing
Remember the game Pokémon Go? Well, it turns out that many users are tricking the GPS technology on their devices into cheating or catching more Pokémon. In this case, they are trying to make it look like they are in one location, but they are in another.
With this GPS spoofing, you can even be considered to be in another country without even having to leave the house.
The danger is that hackers can use GPS spoofing to trick your vehicle's GPS and direct you to a different destination or to an unwanted location.
One study from the University of Texas even revealed that this type of spoofing was once blamed for hacking cruise ship GPS, thereby increasing the risk of collisions.
6. Text Message Spoofing
Text message spoofing, or SMS spoofing, occurs when attackers send text messages by hiding their numbers and replacing them with alphanumeric text.
For example, you often get messages from your internet service provider (ISP), right? Well, the message you receive certainly does not include the sender's number and only reads the company's name.
The bad news, hackers can also use the same method. They will send messages on behalf of trusted companies or institutions and then insert malware into those messages.
7. Facial Spoofing
Along with the development of facial recognition technology, hackers also began to launch facial spoofing attacks to be able to access the victim's device or commit other criminal acts.
In general, attackers use 2D and 3D static attack methods to carry out this type of spoofing. In a 2D attack, hackers will take advantage of 2D objects such as photos. Meanwhile, 3D attacks are designed to penetrate more sophisticated systems so that they use 3D objects such as robots, 3D masks, or statues.
How to Prevent Spoofing
Are you worried about the threat of various spoofing attacks? Relax, there are many ways you can prevent and protect yourself from spoofing.
1. Recognize the Characteristics of Spoofing
First, make sure that you know all the types of spoofing and their characteristics. To help you understand it, here we review some indications or signs that usually occur when you get a spoofing attack:
- You are redirected to a website that does not have an SSL certificate. The website also does not use file encryption, namely HTTPS. But sometimes, attackers may use a free SSL certificate to trick you.
- If you are a password manager user, the program suddenly cannot be used on the websites you visit. For example, you are redirected to a web that resembles Facebook. Well apparently, your password manager does not automatically fill in the username and password as usual.
- When you receive a message, you find many spelling, grammar, and sentence structure errors.
- The message you received was sent by a suspicious sender, is not recognized, or resembles a specific company/institutional email.
- The existence of attachments or links that direct you to dangerous websites.
2. Take advantage of Spam and Packet Filtering
Spam filters can detect spoofing and prevent it from entering your inbox. For example, spam filters can identify typos, grammar errors, and find spammy words such as click here, make money, click below, etc.
Meanwhile, packet filtering can help you block packets (data transmitted/transferred between the computer and the server) that have inaccurate IP address information.
3. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Increase the protection and security of your account with multi-factor authentication. With this method, you can prevent attackers from getting into your account, even if they already know your password. The reason is that every login attempt will be asked to perform additional identification such as entering a special code, scanning fingerprints, or other methods.
4. Don't Hesitate to Confirm
If you receive an email or SMS claiming to be someone you know, don't hesitate to confirm the message. And suppose the message you receive comes from a company or institution. In that case, you can contact the contacts available on the company/institution's official website or contact them via social media channels.
5. Protect Your Network/Server with Layered Security
Equally important, ensure that all communications and data transfers are supported by good encryption, namely by utilizing protocols such as HTTP Secure (HTTPS), Transport layer security (TLS), Secure Shell (SSH), and Virtual private network (VPN).
You can also activate firewall, anti-virus, anti-malware, spoofing detection software, and other security programs to strengthen your network/server security layer.
Conclusion
Basically, spoofing is not a new type of attack on the internet, and for years, it has been used by hackers to carry out all kinds of threats to many individuals, companies, or institutions. But the problem is that spoofing never stops evolving along with the development of technology.
Therefore, understanding what spoofing is, its types, characteristics, and how to prevent it is a must so that you can avoid this attack. Remember, precautions also include equipping devices with multiple levels of security, including spam filters, multi-factor authentication, packet filtering, encrypted protocols, and the installation of other top-notch security programs.
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