What is phishing? Many people do not even know the meaning of the term but get caught in the menace. So what is phishing and what it does? Well, phishing is the process or attempt in order to obtain some sensitive information like usernames, passwords, credit card details and many more such things. This process is often done for some malicious reasons by gaining trust of the person through an electronic communication.
There are many ways by which this phishing process is mainly carried out but the main processes are done by email spoofing or even by instant messaging. In other words phishing is also a technique or an example of social engineering that are commonly used to deceive users, and exploits weaknesses in current web security. In common words it is an online identity theft in which the fraud people trick the innocent internet users into submitting information to the illegitimate websites.
Phishing can be a very difficult trap to move out from as it is one of the most devious from of identity theft. But we have here seven effective and fast steps and techniques through which you can keep your personal documents and identifications safe and away from the hacker’s hand.
This techniques are usually presented in the form of spam or pop ups making them more difficult to identify and easy to get trapped in. We have some phishing protection checklist that will help you to keep your personal identity safe.
- Guard against spam: -oneperson should be cautious about the emails that they receive. Watch out from the mails that are sent by any unrecognized sender, mails that ask you to confirm your personal or financial information over the internet or even make urgent request in order to submit these information. The mails which are not personalized or even try to get your attention by some frightening information’s are the mails you should be careful about.
- Communicate your personal information only via phone or through any secure websites: – Mainly while carrying out an online transaction makes sure the website is secure by seeing the lock icon on the browsers status bar or even for an “https”, where the “s” stands for secured website.
- Do not click on the links, download files or even open attachments in emails from unknown senders:- It is a best way not to open any type of attachment that are send by some unknown user.
- Never email personal or even financial information, even if you are close with the user: – Never share your personal information with anyone even if he or she is your close colleague because no one can be trusted over internet and you can never know who the person you are sending it to is.
- Beware of the links in emails that ask for personal information:- In the day you will find many emails asking for your details and information’s, never reply them back nor try to get to them just simply ignore or delete the mail.
- Never enter personal information in a pop up screen: – Never click on the links that are displayed in the pop up links, neither do copy the web addresses from the pop up links.
- Protect your computer with a firewall, spam filters, antivirus and anti spyware software:- Keep your computer safe by installing antivirus software’s and firewalls that will help you keep you safe.
These steps are some cyber security tips that will help you to keep your personal information safe from the hackers.
