what is email spoofing in cyber security? [2024]

• 06 January, 2024
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What is Email Spoofing? How Attackers Fake Email Identities

Nowadays, people have become more impatient about everything, whether it is getting an e-commerce product delivered to their homes as soon as possible or getting the pizza they ordered delivered to their homes. Deceiving people has become way easier than ever before by merely displaying some simple tricks like Email Spoofing.

To commit email spoofing, the email heading information is modified. The sender’s address is among the transit details included in the email header. The header of a spoofed email is altered to display a fraudulent originating address that the recipient may identify and believe. The simplicity of this manipulation stems from the fact that the primary protocol utilized for email transmission, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), lacks an authentication mechanism as part of its fundamental specifications.

Email Spoofing Definition

In cybersecurity, email spoofing is a deceitful technique in which the originator of an email modifies the email header to make it appear as though it originated from a reputable or familiar source. This method is frequently employed in spam campaigns and phishing assaults, taking advantage of the recipients’ confidence in particular organizations or individuals.

What is the History of Spoofing?

Regarding cybersecurity, the origins of deception can be traced back to the infancy of the web. At its inception, “spoofing” encompassed a range of activities wherein an individual or program effectively assumes the identity of another by manipulating data for their benefit. Its inception occurred during the 1980s, concurrent with the advancement of computer networks.

IP address spoofing, in which an assailant disguises the IP address of their device, and ARP spoofing, in which an adversary transmits forged ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) messages across a local area network, were early forms of spoofing. Utilizing these methods to circumvent network access controls or execute man-in-the-middle attacks was common.

Email spoofing has become increasingly prominent since the pervasive implementation of email correspondence. With email’s increasing importance in both personal and professional spheres, malicious actors recognized the potential of fabricating email headers to deceive recipients for a variety of malicious intents.

How is Email Spoofing Different from Phishing?

Phishing and email impersonation, despite their close relationship, have discernibly different objectives and methodologies.

Common Uses of Email Spoofing

• Phishing: To engage in the act of deceiving others by assuming the identity of a reputable organization to illicitly get confidential data.
• Spreading Malware: By persuading the receiver to access a harmful attachment.
• Business Email Compromise (BEC): Engaging in the deliberate act of focusing on businesses with the intention of redirecting funds or unlawfully acquiring company data.
• Disinformation and Harassment: Disseminating deceptive or detrimental material to damage the reputation of the impersonated individual or cause distress to the recipient.

How Does Email Spoofing Work?

The process of email spoofing typically involves the following steps:

How Can Email Spoofing Be Dangerous?

Email deception is especially hazardous for the reasons that follow:

Email Spoofing Protections

Various tactics and technologies are utilized to safeguard against email spoofing.  Some of them are mentioned below in the following table:

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite the progress made in security technology, email spoofing remains a major difficulty because of the inherent weaknesses in email protocols and the need for users to be always watchful. To effectively address this issue, it is crucial to enhance authentication mechanisms and promote user education through ongoing improvement.

FAQs

About Email Spoofing

1: How does email spoofing work?
Email spoofing is the act of falsifying an email header to make it seem like the message originated from a different source than it did. The perpetrator alters the “From” field of the email to display a counterfeit sender address, which may belong to a reputable person or organization. The lack of intrinsic sender identity verification is made feasible by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which serves as the standard protocol for email transmission. The recipient, upon recognizing a familiar or trustworthy sender’s address, is likely to have a higher level of trust in the email’s content.

2: How is email spoofing different from phishing?
Email spoofing and phishing are interconnected yet separate ideas. Email spoofing is the deliberate act of concealing the true identity of the sender in an email, creating the illusion that it originates from a different person, typically a reliable source. Phishing, in contrast, is a more comprehensive word that includes any effort to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information or clicking on harmful links. Email spoofing is one approach that can be employed in phishing assaults. However, it is important to note that phishing can also be carried out using other techniques and does not necessarily include falsifying the sender’s email address.

3: What is email spoofing how it can be prevented?
Email spoofing is the act of sending emails using a falsified sender address, causing the email to appear as if it originated from a different person or entity than the true source. To mitigate email spoofing, a range of steps can be implemented:

• Enforcing email authentication techniques such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) to verify the origins of emails.
• Providing users with knowledge about the indicators of fraudulent emails and promoting a cautious attitude towards emails that request sensitive data or immediate actions.
• Employing sophisticated email security systems capable of identifying irregularities in email headers and eliminating potentially falsified messages.
• Consistently maintaining and fixing email systems to resolve identified weaknesses.
• Implementing internal procedures to authenticate atypical or unforeseen email solicitations, particularly those about monetary transactions or the exchange of sensitive data.

4: What is the purpose of email spoofing?
Email spoofing is typically carried out with malicious intent. It encompasses objectives such as:

• Engaging in the act of tricking individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.
• Persuading individuals to transfer funds or modify payment information (often observed in business email breach schemes).
• Disseminating malicious software using attachments or links that give the impression of being reliable.
• Slandering the character or reputation of the individual or organization being impersonated.
• Evading spam filters by the utilization of a reputable sender’s email account.

Conclusion

In other words, email spoofing techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated with the continuous advancement of cyber dangers. This calls for a proactive and adaptable approach to ensure email security. In light of the growing dependence on digital communication, safeguarding against email spoofing and other cyber dangers has become increasingly crucial.

Moreover, suppose you wish to learn more about the varied tactics and techniques of Email Spoofing or intend to know some other tactics of cyber attacks. In that case, you may join our dedicated cybersecurity training program under the promising guidance of world-class training mentors with years of quality experience. You can join the Industry-Oriented Cybersecurity Course by Craw Security, Singapore’s leading cybersecurity training institute. Know more about the upcoming batches and other related stuff by calling our hotline round-the-clock facility at +65 9797 6564 and having a word with our prominent educational consultants.

Enforcing email authentication techniques such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) for the purpose of verifying the origins of emails. Providing users with knowledge about the indicators of fraudulent emails and promoting a cautious attitude towards emails that request sensitive data or immediate actions. Employing sophisticated email security systems capable of identifying irregularities in email headers and eliminating potentially falsified messages. Consistently maintaining and fixing email systems to resolve identified weaknesses. Implementing internal procedures to authenticate atypical or unforeseen email solicitations, particularly those pertaining to monetary transactions or the exchange of sensitive data." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the purpose of email spoofing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Email spoofing is typically carried out with malicious intent. It encompasses objectives such as:

Engaging in the act of tricking individuals into revealiang sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Persuading individuals to transfer funds or modify payment information (often observed in business email breach schemes). Disseminating malicious software using attachments or links that give the impression of being reliable. Slandering the character or reputation of the individual or organization being impersonated. Evading spam filters by the utilization of a reputable sender’s email account." } }] }