What is Email Spoofing?
Email spoofing is a threat that involves scammers sending email messages with a fake sender address. Emailing systems cannot authenticate the source of an email, therefore is it relatively easy for a scammer to use a fake email address and get away with it. This technique is frequently employed in phishing attacks, where the goal is to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information, downloading malicious software, or taking other harmful actions.
This works by a spammer forging the sender address. The forged email address will usually be of a well established business or a legitimate entity like a bank or SARS. The spammer has the ability to manipulate the email header in such a way that it appears to be from a trusted source. These kinds of emails are sent to specific targets who may recognize the sender’s email and would open the email without suspicion. The email may include links to fake websites, malware or they may request sensitive information.
There are different kinds of email spoofing attacks such as phishing which are emails that are designed to trick people into sharing sensitive information like login or financial information. Scammers may change the display name of the email to match a well known business or a bank. They use a technique in which they create a lookalike domain such as “takealot.net” instead of “takealot.com” to trick people into clicking the link in the email. In some instances, scammers may gain access to legitimate email accounts and use it to send fraudulent emails, making it even harder to detect.
The consequences can be severe with email spoofing. Some people could be tricked into transferring money or providing financial information such as login details or pin code numbers, which would result in a financial loss. Businesses could suffer due to scammers using their domain names in spoofing attacks and loyal customers may hold them accountable for it, which would result in reputational damage. You could even suffer a data breach due to sensitive data such as login information being accidentally shared with these scammers.
To mitigate the risks from email spoofing, you can implement email authentication protocols to help verify the authenticity of an email sender. You can employ regular training for employees and individuals on how to recognize suspicious emails and avoid common email spoofing scams. You can continuously audit email systems to ensure that security protocols are up-to-date.
Email spoofing is a common threat used by cybercriminals. These emails have the ability to cause significant harm through relatively simple means. By understanding this threat and educating those close to you, as well as your colleagues or employees, you will be able to take the necessary steps to mitigate their effects on your life. Stay vigilant and never click on any link attached in an email you do not recognize.
