Phishing, the deceptive practice employed by cybercriminals to trick individuals into disclosing personal information, has evolved significantly over the years. The volume, diversity, and sophistication of phishing techniques have grown unimaginably, making it increasingly important for people to understand the different forms it can take. In this post, we will delve into this subject, elucidating how 'phishing comes in the following varieties'.

Before understanding the types of phishing, we ought to clarify what phishing truly is. Phishing is a technique that fraudsters use to acquire sensitive personal or financial information like usernames, passwords, credit card numbers by masking their communication (email, text, or call) as being from a trusted entity (like a bank, popular websites, or online shopping sites).

Email Phishing

Email phishing is the most common form. It typically involves sending out a blast of emails to thousands of recipients, hoping that a tiny fraction believe the story and click on the malicious links provided. These emails are typically designed to induce panic, prompting the user to act, often linking to a fake website where the user is encouraged to input sensitive data.

Spear Phishing

'Spear phishing' is a more targeted version of email phishing. Here, the attacker researches their target thoroughly, crafting an email that is more likely to deceive the user. The email might reference specific events, people, or points of interest to the target to make it seem legitimate.

Whaling

'Whaling' is a form of spear phishing that targets high-profile individuals, like executives or those in power. This is often meticulously planned and executed, with the payload being significant, given the high-value targets.

Vishing

'Vishing' or voice phishing involves phone calls. The callers claim to be representatives from a trusted organization and coax the receiver into divulging personal details, which are then exploited.

Smishing

'Smishing' is SMS-based phishing where text messages are used to trick individuals into providing personal or financial information, or downloading a malicious application.

Pharming

'Pharming’ is another sophisticated technique where hackers exploit DNS servers or individual computer's host files and redirect users from legit website addresses to malicious ones unknowingly.

Clone phishing

A variant of email phishing, 'clone phishing' involves creating an almost identical replica of a previous legitimate message that contained an attachment or link, swapping the attached file or hyperlink with a malicious one, and then resending the email believing it to be a legitimate follow-up.

HTTPS phishing

'HTTPS phishing' involves creating a secure-looking site to trick individuals into thinking they're on a legitimate site. Evolved phishing attempts now use HTTPS and green padlock icon to trick users into thinking the site is safe.

Angler phishing

'Angler phishing' exploits the customer service provided by companies via social media. Fraudsters create fake customer service accounts and respond to customer queries, often asking them to follow a link or provide personal details.

CEO Fraud

'CEO Fraud' is when phishing emails are sent impersonating the CEO or any top executive of a company, tricking the staff into executing unauthorized transfers.

In conclusion, it's evident that phishing comes in many forms. Each method is more cunning and sophisticated than the last. Staying educated about the various phishing techniques, having a robust security system, and always maintaining a healthy level of skepticism towards unsolicited communication can go a long way in protecting oneself from these cyber threats.