An Introduction to the Wild World of Phishing
Christopher Hadnagy, Michele Fincher · 2015
This chapter presents some basic information of phishing. Phishing in its various forms has become a high-profile attack vector used by scammers, criminals, and con men because it's a relatively easy way to reach others and get them to act without thinking. Attackers take the time to conduct research into targets and create messages that are personal and relevant. It's probably safe to say that there are common targets and common attackers. Phishers' motives tend to be pretty typical: money or information. One technique that scammers use to add credibility to their story is the use of website cloning. In this technique, scammers copy legitimate websites to fool you into entering personally identifiable information (PII) or login credentials. Target Corporation is probably one of the highest-profile breaches to date. One common theme you may have seen is phishing through the use of social media.