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Types of Phishing

Computer screen showing a the numbers 1 and zero repeated in green across the screen, with the word HACKED in the center in red letters.

Phishing is a type of attack that targets individuals through email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication.  Be alert to these common types of phishing.

  • Vishing, or voice phishing, is a form of fraud where cybercriminals trick you into providing sensitive information through a phone call. The calls can come from an actual person or robocalls. A common vishing attack might offer to collect an urgent payment or solve a tax problem.
  • Smishing attacks use an SMS text message to trick a recipient into clicking a link and sending private information or downloading malicious programs to a smartphone. A common smishing attack may reference tracking a package or issues with an online account.
  • Quishing is when cybercriminals use a QR code to direct traffic to a fraudulent website. The malicious website then harvests the user’s credentials or downloads malware onto their device. These may include payment scams, package scams, or donation scams.
  • Whaling targets “big fish” high-profile individuals like CEOs, CFOs, or other company executives. These attacks are usually more elaborate because the stakes are much higher. The attacker mines social media data and web search results to gather professional and personal data to tailor the attack to the specific target.

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Questions about Information Security?

Office of Information Security
214-648-7600

informationsecurity@UTSouthwestern.edu