Understanding Email Spoofing
What is Email Spoofing in Cyber security? Email spoofing is a technique where the cybercriminals imitate the sender’s email address to make it look like an email coming from a trusted source, like a legitimate company, or a well-known person, or a colleague. This serves as a gateway tactic for phishing attacks, malware distribution, and Business Email Compromise (BEC). Attackers use spoofed emails to manipulate recipients to initiate actions such as clicking malicious links, entering personal information, or making unauthorized transfers. The intent is often to deceive recipients to believe that the email is legitimate so they can act upon it without any suspicion or doubt. Why Is Email Spoofing Dangerous? Email spoofing can be a dangerous tactic for various reasons such as: How Does Email Spoofing Work? Email Spoofing works in the following manner: Common Types of Email Spoofing Attacks There are several types of email spoofing attacks, some of which are discussed below: Difference Between Email Spoofing & Phishing Email spoofing is a technique used to forge the sender’s email address to make it appear as though the email is coming from a legitimate source whereas phishing is a type of cyber attack that tries to deceive recipients into sharing sensitive information or performing harmful actions. The differences are listed below: Real-World Examples of Email Spoofing Incidents Some popular real-world incidents of email spoofing are mentioned below: How to Detect Spoofed Emails? You can easily detect spoofed emails by the following ways: How can you Prevent Email Spoofing? You can prevent email spoofing by the following methods: Conclusion Email spoofing is a pervasive threat that affects individuals and organizations globally. In no doubt, cybercriminals continue to develop sophisticated techniques, which make it critical to understand how spoofing works and take proactive security steps. As we all know, artificial intelligence and machine learning are being integrated into email security tools to better detect anomalies in emails, including spoofing attempts. Increased adoption of BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) allows organizations to display their logo next to authenticated emails, which builds trust and helps users recognize legitimate emails. Whether you’re a business owner, an IT professional, or an individual user, adopting email authentication protocols, being aware of red flags, and staying informed about cybersecurity trends are key to minimize the risk of falling victim to spoofing. Want to start your learning journey on Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking field?