The Challenges Of Brand Spoofing In A Digital Era

Introduction

Brand spoofing, also known as brand phishing or brand impersonation, is an online scamming technique used by hackers who use a trusted brand identity to encourage actions from the victims that lead to the next scam. By posing as a recognizable brand or organization familiar to the recipient, attackers can trick their victims into clicking on a link or attachment in an email. At its core, spoofing is the practice of creating a counterfeit websites or links that mimics a legitimate one.

The activity by the hackers generally involves creating counterfeit websites, emails, or social media profiles that closely resemble those of legitimate brands, tricking victims into believing they are interacting with the actual company. Spoofing generally involves changing only one syllable, number, symbol so it looks true at one glance.