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What is Pharming Attack? (Process, How to Prevent)
Pharming is a new type of cyberattack that is as difficult to detect as it is to put up. But what is the definition of a pharming attack? It's a method for hackers to gain access to large quantities of data by sending people to flawed clones of legitimate websites.
If you look attentively, you'll see that "pharming" contains two words: "phishing" and "farming." The attacker phishes the victim and then farms their information. This allows them to recover any information that visitors unwittingly provide. Attacks that previously controlled the internet have become obsolete as the world of cybersecurity has evolved. As a result, assault strategies have evolved as well.
What is Pharming?
Pharming is a sort of cyberattack that involves redirecting real web traffic to a false site in order to obtain usernames, passwords, bank data, and other personal information.
Before you see that Google logo and search box on your computer screen, numerous background procedures must occur when you input www.google.com into your browser's address bar. Cybercriminals use these procedures to route your web traffic to a malicious website instead of the one you planned to visit during a pharming attack. The destination site may infect your machine with malware. It's almost always a phony phishing site. The latter action is what gives the term "pharming" its name, which is a combination of the phrases "phishing" and "farming."
A common phishing site is spoofed or disguised to seem like a legitimate website that the victim frequently visits, such as a banking or e-commerce site. When an unwary victim attempts to log in to their account, the purpose of a phishing site is to harvest usernames and passwords.
What is the Process of Pharming?
To comprehend how pharming works, we must first learn about domain names and IP addresses. Websites use domain names and IP addresses in the same way that old-fashioned snail mail uses your name and address. For example, Sachin will not get your letter if you send it to "Sachin Shinde" and write nothing on the stamped envelope other than the name. To send your letter, the post office will require both his name and his address, such as "Sachin Shinde, House No. 8-3-251, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, India "
Similarly, the underlying location for the domain name you want to access is the IP address (short for Internet Protocol address). Your request is routed to a DNS server when you type "www.facebook.com" into your browser's address bar. The DNS server is a computer whose sole purpose is to convert domain names into IP addresses. This address will be four integers separated by periods: "0.0.0.0" for the most prevalent kind of Internet protocol, IPv4. Because larger organizations like Facebook possess vast blocks of IP addresses, the IP address for Facebook will appear something like "66.220.159.255," however, the precise digits may change.
With your IP address in hand, the DNS server sends this information to your computer, which then directs you to the Facebook website. From the time you press the return key on the address bar to the time the webpage starts loading, the DNS resolution process takes milliseconds.
Returning to the issue of pharming, hackers can manipulate the web address system to redirect your request for "www.facebook.com" to a criminal-controlled location.
How to Prevent Pharming Attacks?
Now let’s check the techniques that you can employ to protect yourself from pharming hackers.
Secure Your Web Connections and Change Your Router's Default Settings
Using your router's default password and settings exposes you to a high risk of DNS poisoning. We strongly advise you to change your router's settings if you haven't previously. You should also use an Antivirus and other security measures that protect you against DNS and connection manipulation. And, of course, make sure to keep everything up to date.
Select a Trustworthy Internet Service Provider (ISP)
This one is a no-brainer. Since the internet is such an important part of our lives, you should not cut corners when it comes to the people who administer it. Choose your ISP carefully, and make sure it's a reputable and trustworthy company.
Use a Dependable DNS Server
This suggestion works hand-in-hand with the last one for most individuals, as their ISP also serves as their DNS provider. If you want a different DNS server, take the same precautions in selecting a reliable one.
Click only those links that originate from reputable sources
This advice applies to all types of malware. Don't just click on every link you see. You never know what's on the other end of the line. There's a considerable risk the link will take you to a malicious website if it's not from a safe, trustworthy, or respectable source. Take extra precautions to verify its veracity, even if it appears to be familiar.
Keep an eye out for the "S" in HTTPS
This is a significant issue. Any website address that begins with "HTTP" rather than "HTTPS" poses a security risk. A site with that "S" is approved and safe, whereas one without it is vulnerable to malware and infection.
Keep an eye out for typos in the URLs
For hackers, relying on human error is far easier than interfering with your DNS. Hackers frequently attempt to simply provide links to URLs with minor errors or letters replaced with digits. It appears to be an official, well-known website at first sight. However, a second glance reveals numerous obvious mistakes in the address.
Use a 2FA system and a good password manager
A password manager is used by many internet users to keep track of their different accounts and login information. Use a trustworthy one and use 2FA, or two-factor authentication, wherever possible.
Stay Away from "Sweet" e-Commerce Deals
On their phony websites, pharmacists might offer enticing offers. If a deal appears to be considerably better than its reputable competitors, double-check the website's legitimacy.
Use a Reliable VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is a proxy server that you use to access the Internet. It adds an extra degree of security to your DNS as well as your internet connection. While it won't make you completely immune to pharming, many VPN providers do include particular security against these assaults.
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