Email Spoofing
Forging email headers to make messages appear to come from a different sender, often used in phishing and BEC attacks.
Overview
Email spoofing exploits the lack of authentication in the email protocol (SMTP). Attackers can easily forge the 'From' address to impersonate trusted senders. This technique is fundamental to many phishing and BEC attacks. While technologies like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC help prevent spoofing, many organizations haven't properly implemented these protections. Sophisticated attackers may also compromise legitimate accounts or use look-alike domains that are difficult to distinguish from real ones. Email spoofing remains effective because users trust the sender information displayed in their email clients.
Real-World Examples
- ▸Email appearing to come from [email protected]
- ▸Spoofed bank notifications
- ▸Fake vendor invoices with spoofed sender
Related Terms
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