What is Phishing and Blagging?

Phishing and blagging are both forms of cyber attacks that are designed to trick people into handing over their sensitive information. 

Phishing is when scammers send fake emails or messages pretending to be trustworthy sources, aiming to steal your login details, credit card numbers, or other private info. Blagging, on the other hand, relies on social engineering tactics as a way to manipulate people into giving away personal information. The big problem with blagging is that it gets people to give away confidential data without them even realising it.

Phishing attacks often use harmful links or files to infect devices with malware. Meanwhile, blagging attacks try to exploit human behaviour to get information. Both are big risks to cyber security and can cause data breaches or financial fraud if they're successful.

Definition of Phishing and Blagging:

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where hackers pretend to be someone trustworthy to trick individuals into giving up sensitive info like logins, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. They usually do this through email, sending victims to a fake website that looks real. Over time, phishing has gotten more sophisticated, with scammers using text messages ("smishing") or voice calls ("vishing") to extract sensitive information. Spoof emails are also used to trick the recipient. The key to phishing is to make everything seem as real as possible. 

Blagging, is a more direct form of phishing. Instead of using emails or messages, the scammer talks directly to the victim, pretending to be a figure of authority. The blagger might claim to be a bank employee, a police officer, or a representative of a computer company, convincing the victim to reveal personal information or perform specific actions that compromise their security. The blagger might say they're from a bank, the police, or a tech company, getting the victim to spill information or carry out malicious activity. Blagging works best when the attacker can talk their way into getting what they want, using social tricks to make the victim feel like they have to go along with it. The success of blagging depends a lot on how believable the blagger seems, often needing a detailed backstory or even pretending to be someone important.

How are Blagging and Phishing Different?:

Understanding the key differences between them is crucial for staying safe from cyber threats. Blagging targets specific individuals, whereas phishing usually targets multiple people at once. Blagging and phishing also differ in their approach. These deceptive techniques both have different ways of getting hold of your sensitive information. 

Blagging involves direct interaction to manipulate people into giving away confidential information. This scam uses a much more personal approach where fake scenarios and situations are created for malicious purposes. 

On the flip side, phishing usually tricks victims through communication channels and is extremely generic, making it easy to spot. Unlike blagging, which is more one-on-one, phishing can hit lots of people at once with mass emails or messages that look legit, often from big companies or banks. Phishing lures victims with urgent or tempting deals, getting them to click on bad links or files that steal data or install malware.

Blagging

Common Techniques Used in Blagging Attacks:

Blagging attacks are becoming an increasing source of concern for both individuals and businesses and understanding the common techniques can help protect your data.

One common tactic is where hackers impersonate someone with authority or insider knowledge. They might pretend to be a technical support member, a senior executive, or even a colleague. By creating the illusion of trust and urgency, they aim to coax victims into sharing sensitive data or granting access to restricted areas.

Another commonly used technique is pretexting, where attackers invent scenarios to justify their inquiries or information requests. This could involve making up stories to convince the recipient that they need access to an important report or data. 

Tailgating or piggybacking is another tactic which involves an attacker gaining physical entry to a restricted area by slipping in unnoticed behind someone else who has legitimate access. This gives them unauthorised access without the need for any digital credentials.

How to Prevent Blagging Incidents:

• Investing in awareness programs can provide your employees with the knowledge to identify cybercrime before it impacts your business.
• Implement robust verification processes
• Use two-factor authentication and multiple checkpoints like security questions, callback procedures, or identity verification through different channels.
• Restrict access to sensitive information. This is so that only the employees who need it will have access to the data.
• Use encryption for data storage and transmission.
• Encourage employees to report any suspicious activities promptly.

Phishing

Common Techniques Used in Phishing Attacks:

One common technique is spear phishing, which involves sending targeted emails to specific individuals or businesses. Attackers gather this information through social media or public records, crafting highly convincing messages.

Another widely used method is whaling, a specific form of spear phishing aimed at high-profile targets like senior executives. These attacks are meticulously planned, with emails that often mimic internal company communications or important business correspondence.

Link manipulation is a technique where phishing emails contain links that look legitimate but redirect users to malicious websites. These websites can have URLs that are subtly misspelt versions of legitimate ones or use a legitimate-looking domain to host phishing pages.

Lastly, there's clone phishing. This involves creating a nearly identical replica of a previously received email from a legitimate source but with malicious attachments or links. Since the email looks familiar, recipients are more likely to trust it and follow the links or open the attachments, leading to malware installation or data breaches.

How to Prevent Phishing Incidents:

• Teach employees about the signs of phishing.
• Implement robust email filters and security software.
• Enable two-factor authentication.