cyber
UncategorizedOctober 28, 2022
cyber

Anyone who accesses mail on the net, surfs for information, buys various products online, or hangs out on social media is a fair game for cybercriminals. One such method used to steal your user name and password is a cyberattack called “pharming”. This is a portmanteau word derived from “phishing” and “farming”. In pharming, cybercriminals direct you to a fake version of a website you commonly use, to intentionally to make you divulge details not normally shared. Pharming is like the false detour sign the villain puts up in a film to kill the hero ― you are headed off to a dicey website, unless you have a particularly effective antivirus.

How Does Pharming Occur?

Pharming begins with the installation of a malicious code on an individual computer. In a widespread attack which strikes several computers involves the installation of a malicious code, or malware on the organizational server. The malware might have resided in an email, which got downloaded to an individual computer, and from there to the server. The malware begins to surreptitiously modify locally stored files as well as stored IP addresses.

Vulnerabilities of the DNS Server

Pharming could be carried out by either attacking the domain name system (DNS) server which translates the domain names or web addresses that you type in your web browser into internet protocol (IP) addresses; or else by poisoning the DNS cache. A DNS cache is created whenever you visit a website to ensure that there is no need to access the DNS server next time you visit the website. This usually occurs when you access your email, or visit a website via an unsecured router or a public Wi-Fi.

Do this: Clear your DNS cache daily to prevent a cybercriminal from accessing it, and misdirecting you to a spoofed website which has the general look, and feel of the authentic website.

DNS Server Poisoning

The most dangerous part of DNS server poisoning during a pharming attack is that, it can misdirect users to only malicious websites without corrupting any local files. Rather, it manipulates susceptibilities at the server level to modify the DNS table. Since anomalous settings are not immediately visible, such pharming attacks become more difficult to identify. Further, as users are not being told to click on any links, but are automatically getting redirected; there are no red flags to warn them. It also means that you might unwittingly share personal data, or login details.

How to Recognize Attempts to Pharm, and Protect Yourself

If a pharming attack is trying to mislead you to a malicious or spoof domain, watch out for misspellings. You should also check to see that the URL begins with https// rather than plain http//. Other signs would be if you are asked to reenter your credentials, unless it is the kind of website where you need to change your password every now and again. Typically, if it is a platform or a website you commonly use, you should not have to share personal data every time.

Fight Pharming Attacks Effectively

In case, you feel that the website you have landed on does not look or feel like the site you normally use; exit immediately.
  • Close all browsers, run the antivirus, and clean your system of cookies and other unwanted attachments.
  • Manually empty the DNS cache, the spam folder, and trash folder of your email.
  • The next time you want to access the same website, manually type the URL in your web browser.
  • Do not visit websites which are not secure as far as possible.
  • It is advisable to bookmark frequently visited websites, so that you do not get misdirected, or need to type in the URL.
  • Avoid following links that are shortened. The shortened URL hides the fact that it is not a secure website.
  • Use virtual private network (VPN), if you are unsure how dependable your internet service provider is.
  • Create unique alphanumerical passwords, instead of using default passwords.

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