Spoofing is a type of cyber attack where a fraudster pretends to be someone or something else to gain a persons trust and access to systems, steal data, steal money, or spread malware. Spoofing can take many forms, including email spoofing, website and/or URL spoofing, caller ID spoofing, text message spoofing, GPS spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, extension spoofing, IP spoofing, and facial spoofing. Spoofing attacks usually involve an element of social engineering, where scammers psychologically manipulate their victims by playing on human vulnerabilities such as fear, greed, or lack of technical knowledge.

Spoofing can apply to a range of communication channels and can involve different levels of technical complexity. For example, in email spoofing, the adversary can hack an unsecured mail server to hide their true identity. In a man-in-the-middle attack, an adversary can create a Wi-Fi access point to intercept any web activity and gather personal information. Spoofing typically relies on two elements – the spoof itself, such as a faked email or website, and then the social engineering aspect, which nudges victims to take action.

A successful spoofing attack can have serious consequences, including stealing personal or company information, harvesting credentials for use in further attacks, spreading malware, gaining unauthorized network access, or bypassing access controls. Spoofing is a time-honored activity, and one type of cyber attack that often leads to a much larger hack. The primary way spoofers hack organizations is by tricking employees. Thankfully, most organizations have active cybersecurity programs to avoid these things. Familiarizing yourself with the different types of spoofing attacks is critical in understanding how spoofing works.