Identity Theft · 1990s – present
Phishing
A convincing email or text imitates your bank, your job, or a service you use — and quietly hands your login to a stranger.
Ghost in the Wires
Kevin Mitnick
Social engineering as sport — the human side of hacking.
Now broadcasting: Phishing
The short of it
Phishing is a identity theft that dates to the 1990s – present. A convincing email or text imitates your bank, your job, or a service you use — and quietly hands your login to a stranger. The tell is usually simple: urgent messages about locked accounts or missed deliveries. If you remember one thing, remember this — type addresses yourself instead of clicking links in email.
Warning Signs
- Urgent messages about locked accounts or missed deliveries.
- Links that don't quite match the real domain.
- Requests to 'confirm' your password or code.
Protect Yourself
- Type addresses yourself instead of clicking links in email.
- Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere.
- When in doubt, call the company using the number on the back of your card.
Read Deeper
Ghost in the Wires
Kevin Mitnick
Adventures of the world's most wanted social engineer.
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Watch it unfold
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Play the grift
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Lock the door
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