What is Phishing?
Phishing is an attempt to steal your information, such as your usernames and passwords, account numbers, credit card details or other personal data, that could be used to steal money, infect your device with malware or attack a company’s computer systems. Cybercriminals often use phishing emails to get you to click a link, open an attachment or fill in a form on a fake website that looks like the real thing.
A common strategy is to create a sense of urgency by impersonating an authority figure, such as your bank, a service provider or even a family member. This can trigger emotions like fear and greed and cause you to act without thinking. Other common requests include asking for money or demanding that you download a file or enter your credentials.
Scammers can also clone an email or message to make it look more legitimate. This can include modifying the links in the message or using a different filename to trick you into downloading a malicious program.
If you suspect a phishing attack try to take immediate action. Change your passwords immediately and scan for malware. You should also report the phishing site to your IT support team. Enterprise cybersecurity solutions, such as security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) or security information and event management (SIEM) can detect phishing attacks and block access to suspicious websites. You can also report a website as unsafe in Microsoft Edge by selecting Settings and More and then Help and feedback > Report unsafe sites.