Pharming Attack – How To Protect Against Pharming Attacks?

Pharming is a cyber attack in which black hats manipulate website traffic and redirect users to a fake or spoofed website. They manipulate the domain name system (DNS) server or compromise network devices, such as DNS cache servers or routers, to redirect users to malicious websites. In this process, the DNS settings are manipulated, and users attempting to access legitimate websites are tricked into accessing spoofed websites. These websites look almost similar to the legitimate ones. As soon as a user accesses them and enters their confidential data into the appearing login window, cybercriminals get it.

Written by R K Dutt
Published on October 30, 2024

In a pharming attack, malware and deadly viruses infiltrate a PC when users access spoofed online platforms. After entering the device, the malware runs operations to trace sensitive data related to banking, online payment platforms, and shopping sites. All the actions are directed at committing financial scams and hijacking critical accounts to promote illicit acts.

How Does Pharming Attack Work?

In a pharming attack, cybercriminals change the DNS records to connect a legitimate domain name with an unsafe IP address. Due to this, your device`s DNS server fails to connect to the corresponding IP address to fetch the relevant information. For example, when you type a domain name into your web browser, your PC needs to know the corresponding IP address of the website’s server to create a connection to fetch the information.

But when black hats compromise DNS servers or network devices and change DNS records, you connect to a spoofed website when you type a domain name into your web browser. Whenever you type and search for something online, your compromised DNS server returns an unsafe IP address that cyber criminals created. Due to this, you are directed to an illegitimate online platform that mimics the real websites. When you are on the fake web pages, you fall for the tricks, follow the prompts, and end up giving all the sensitive details to the cyberpunks.

What Is The Difference Between Phishing and Pharming?

There are some commonalities between pharming and phishing, but they are completely different. In phishing, black hats send you legitimate emails, website links, and text messages and make phone calls. You take these elements as part of legitimate sites and platforms. They seem to offer you valid services and products, but in reality, they are not as they look. The emails, text messages, or links you receive are tampered with with malicious codes that direct you to unknown and malicious websites. At these unsafe and harmful sites, black hat tricks offer your personal information, such as user IDs, passwords, and important financial details. Due to this, you suffer data loss, financial scams, and reputation damage.

Pharming is also very similar to phishing, but it is far more dangerous than phishing attacks. In pharming attacks, cybercriminals access your device server and install malicious codes in your computer or server. This code automatically sends you to a malicious platform that mimics a real one. When you are on that platform, you will be asked to fill out your user ID and password to access the main settings of an account. As soon as you enter your details, the online criminals sitting at the other side will get all the information. You have no control over anything in this whole process. Black hats change the DNS server and change the records inside it. Due to this, when you type anything into your web browser, it does not connect you to the corresponding IP address. Instead, it directs you to a malicious platform where you are tricked into losing all your important information.

Commonalities Between Phishing and Pharming

Both activities fall into cyberattacks and are used to deceive individuals by directing them to fraudulent websites or platforms that compromise the users’ confidential data and personal information.
Deceptive and social engineering tactics are at the base of both types of cyber attacks. They create a sense of urgency to convince the target and take action that makes them lose their sensitive information.
Attackers fake legitimate organizations, online platforms, and agencies to make the users believe that they are dealing with a real entity. But when they completed the whole process, they found out that it was all a fraud.
Important User IDs, passwords, banking details, and online activities are the target of pharming and phishing attacks. Cybercriminals use this information to promote their illicit acts, such as stealing money, getting personal information, and damaging the reputation of a brand, individual, or organization.

How To Protect Against Pharming Attacks?

Use Trusted Internet Service

Using a trusted internet service provider is the first thing you should do to safeguard your digital doors. A reputable internet service comes with built-in filters and scanners that automatically save users from fake and malicious redirects on your internet browser. As a result, you get a secure and unreachable DNS system that provides your complete immunity against bogus webpages and malicious online platforms. In addition to this, with a trusted internet service, you will be able to enjoy a fast and glitch-free browsing experience.

Access Only Secure Websites

You must visit only secure websites that follow proper internet security protocols. In this condition, you should check for HTTPS at the beginning of the URL of a website that you are accessing through your internet browser. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, meaning the website you browse or visit is secure and encrypted. All the traffic is protected with encryption, and no malicious entity can intercept the online activity of any online user. In addition to HTTPS, there is a padlock at the beginning of the URL that further ensures the visitor’s idea. Hence, always check for these signs in a URL you are about to visit using your web browser.

Verify URL Accuracy

Malicious actors online use similar domain names for their web pages but with slight mistakes. There would be spelling mistakes, unnecessary signs, special characters, swapping, and alternating the letters in the URLs. These are deliberate mistakes that they involve in tricking users into clicking on them and proceeding with their online activities. But, you should beware of such deliberate mistakes in the uniform resource locators. These mistakes are meant to provoke users and make hasty decisions. As soon as you click on them, curiosity kills the cat. So, it is highly recommended to avoid URLs that have deliberate mistakes. These are traps that cyberpunks lay to catch innocent users and steal information from them.

Change Default Passwords

When you install or set up new routers or wireless access points, make sure to reset the passwords for all of them. They come with default passkeys and User IDs that anyone can guess effortlessly. So, changing and creating unique, long, and strong passwords is one of the most important things you should do to protect yourself against deadly pharming attacks. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters to fortify your drivers, devices, and DNS servers from online dangers.

Avoid Suspicious Links

Online attackers often use link shortener apps to cut short the long links into short ones and hide the real links of malicious websites. You must avoid shortened links as they may be the workings of the black hats. Such links come as attachments in a direct message or mail that offers luring discounts or business deals. You will be led to unsafe web pages if you take them for granted and click them without thinking. These web pages can inject malware and viruses into your device and steal its important data. It can disrupt the normal operation of your device and steal all the sensitive information from it.

Beware Of Fake E-Commerce Deals

Black Hats runs ad campaigns that offer huge discounts on certain services and products. They lure users to the websites, creating emergencies and mentioning deals with limited-time offers. Lured with the discounts and benefits of services and products, prospects often follow the prompts. As soon as they subscribe to unusually beneficial deals and reveal their banking details to the site, black hats pick up all their credentials and passkeys. To avoid this situation, go to the official and trusted online E-Commerce platform and compare the prices of the goods and services. If you find the deals relatively similar or at reasonable prices, go for them.

Utilize Secure VPN

VPNs are your best friend when it comes to secure device networks. It hides your IP addresses, creates a safe online channel that overrides the Internet service provider, and secretly connects you to the relevant server to fetch the information you seek. It changes the IP address of your device’s server and makes DNS records inaccessible for the bad actors active on the internet. Utilizing this technology, you can easily connect to the networks and databases in different geographical locations. Whether it is government agencies, big tech companies, data brokers, or ISPs, no one can intercept your online activities and track down what you do online. So, utilize secure VPN to browse the internet without the risk of pharming attacks.

Multi-Level Authentication Service

You must use a multilevel security system to secure critical access points, personal accounts, and online banking platforms. Using strong, unique, and long passwords is only one part of securing your digital doors from cybercriminals, online hackers, and jailbreakers. You must use multiple authentication services to safeguard your apps, accounts, and online payment gateways. If, by chance, your credentials are compromised in the first attempts, then there will always be other security barriers that will be impossible to bypass. It includes OTP, SMS, email, and phone calls. You will get notification alerts through any of the mediums when the first step of logging in to an account is completed. It will help you authorize the login attempts on your device and critical online platforms. You can click or reply with the relevant response to validate the action. Hence, always use a multi-level authentication service to prevent unauthorized access.

Use a Robust Antivirus Software

Install and use robust antivirus software on your computer, laptop, or tablet to protect them from deadly cyberattacks. Antivirus software identifies suspicious activities, malware infiltration, data breaches, and online dangers efficiently. It removes existing malware infections and unsafe programs from your PC. It makes it immune to potential programs that are used to disrupt normal device operations and hijack web browsers from deadly viruses.

If anyone tries to manipulate your DNS settings and store them, it will take immediate action to neutralize such activities and fortify your networks. Its advanced behavior analysis evaluates internal operations to detect malicious activities. If anything suspicious is not normal or fits with the prescribed programming, then it will halt all the operations and eliminate potential dangers. The same goes with the pharming attacks. It will neutralize malicious programs and prevent the manipulation of IP addresses on your DNS storage. As a result, you will be completely protected against pharming issues.

Use Reliable DNS Services

Using a reliable DNS service from a reputed provider is one of the most effective ways to deal with pharming attacks. Because you cannot prevent manipulation of your server settings even after employing robust antivirus software. It provides protection against deadly cyber attacks but cannot fully block them. You have to align its security services with other safety measurements, such as going for a reliable DNS service and a reputed internet service provider. When you utilize both elements simultaneously, you will be able to safeguard your PC server and web browser from unwanted manipulation and changes. You must stay alert and follow internet security protocols to protect yourself from deadly cyberattacks.

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Pharming Attack – How To Protect Against Pharming Attacks?

How Does Pharming Attack Work?

What Is The Difference Between Phishing and Pharming?

Commonalities Between Phishing and Pharming