What is a Vishing Attack & How to Prevent it

Vishing is an abbreviation for "voice phishing," which is the practice of defrauding people over the phone by enticing them to divulge sensitive information. The attacker attempts to steal the victim's data and use it for their own benefit—typically, to gain a financial advantage—in this definition of vishing.

 

What exactly is a vishing attack? Vishing has the same goal as many other types of cyberattacks. In today's digitized business and financial environment, all that stands between a criminal and a victim's money is access credentials, credit card numbers, or personal data that can later be used to commit identity theft.

 

What is a Vishing Attack?

 

Vishing is a type of cybercrime in which victims' personal information is obtained over the phone. Cybercriminals use deceptive social engineering tactics to convince victims to hand over sensitive information and bank account credentials. This is known as "voice phishing."

 

Vishing, like phishing and smishing, relies on convincing victims that answering the phone is the correct course of action. Frequently, the caller will impersonate the government, the tax department, the police, or the victim's bank. Cybercriminals use threats and persuasive language to make victims feel as if they have no choice but to provide the requested information.

 

Some cyber criminals use threatening language, while others claim to be helping the victim avoid criminal charges. Another common tactic is to leave threatening voicemails warning the listener that if they do not return the call immediately, they risk being jailed, having their bank accounts frozen, or worse.

 

Vishing, phishing, and smishing are all cyberattacks with similar goals, but they employ different methods. Vishing is done over the phone through a voice call. This can take place via a landline, cellular network, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. Phishing, on the other hand, is carried out via email. This comprehensive phishing guide explains the various phishing techniques used by criminals.

 

The primary goal of vishing attacks is to obtain sensitive financial information or personal information from the person who answers the phone. Physical, visible credentials, such as identity badges, driver's licenses, or access cards, can be presented in face-to-face interaction. 

 

Over the phone, the only way to verify the caller's identity is through what they say. As a result, one of the primary reasons vishing attacks are carried out is that they are easier to carry out than in-person scams.

 

Also Read | Types of Phishing Attacks

 

How does Vishing Work?

 

Vishing, like phishing and smishing, is based on convincing targets to answer the phone. Frequently, the caller will impersonate the police, the government, the tax department, or the target's bank. Cyber attackers use threats and persuasive language to make victims feel as if they have no choice but to provide the requested information. 

 

Another common tactic is to leave threatening voicemails warning the listener that if they do not return the call immediately, they risk being arrested, having their bank accounts blocked, or worse.

 

A successful vishing attack requires more than just dialing random phone numbers; hackers use a systematic strategy to steal from victims.

 

Cybercriminals begin by researching their intended victims. One example is sending phishing emails in the hope that someone will respond and reveal their phone number. Alternatively, the perpetrator could use specialized software to dial multiple numbers with the same area code as the victims.

 

If the victim has already been duped by a phishing email, they are unlikely to be suspicious of the caller. Depending on how sophisticated the phishing/vishing technique is, the victim is expecting a phone call. Hackers are aware that people are more likely to accept calls from numbers with a local area code.

 

Once the victim is on the phone, the cybercriminal will appeal to the victim's human instincts of trust, fear, greed, and a desire to help. Depending on the vishing plan, the criminal may use all or just one of these social engineering strategies to persuade the victim that they are doing the right thing. 

 

The cybercriminal may ask for bank account information, credit card information, and a postal address, as well as action from the victim, such as money transfers, emailing confidential work-related documents or disclosing company information.

 

Cybercrime is far from over. Now that they have this information, cybercriminal can ‌commit other crimes. For example, a cybercriminal may empty the victim's bank account, steal the victim's identity, and use the victim's credit card information to make illegal purchases, then email the victim's coworkers hoping to trick someone into divulging confidential work information.

 

Also Read | Types of Social Engineering Attacks

 

Techniques of Vishing Attack

 

The following are some common vishing techniques. ;- 

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Techniques of Vishing Attack 

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1. Wardalling

 

The attackers use software to send messages to specific area codes involving a local bank, business, police department, or other local entity. When the phone rings, an automated message requests the caller's full name, credit card number, bank account number, mailing address, and even social security number. 

 

This information, according to the recorded message, may be required to prove the victim's account has not been compromised or to confirm genuine account data.

 

2. VoIP

 

Because of VoIP, attackers can easily generate bogus phone numbers and conceal themselves behind them. These numbers are difficult to track down and are commonly used to generate phone numbers that appear to be local or have a legitimate prefix. Some attackers, for example, will create VoIP numbers that appear to be from a local hospital, government agency, or police department.

 

3. Spoofing Caller ID

 

Caller ID spoofing is similar to VoIP vishing in that the attacker conceals themselves behind a forged contact information ID. They may use an unknown caller ID or pretend to be a legitimate caller by using a caller ID such as Government, Police, or Tax Department, for instance.

 

4. Dumpster Diving

 

Searching through dumpsters behind offices, banks, and other random establishments is an old and still popular method of obtaining legitimate phone numbers. Criminals frequently gather enough information to launch a targeted spear vishing attack.

 

5. Credit card Theft

 

Credit card fraud is one of the most common types of vishing. Scammers pose as representatives of your credit card company and claim that your card has been compromised. They request your credentials in order to "solve" the problem. Once they have the information they require, the call is quickly terminated, and the victim's credit card is maxed out.

 

6. Tax or IRS scams

 

Tax and IRS scams, in which scammers pose as tax officials, have become increasingly common in recent years. Tax scammers may claim that your tax return is incorrect or that you owe additional taxes. 

 

They then request that you verify your identity by disclosing otherwise private information. In order to scare victims into compliance, scammers threaten to cancel their benefits or arrest them if they refuse at first.

 

7. Medicare and Social Security Fraud

 

Medicare and social security scams involve the impersonation of a government-run agency's official representative. They will frequently claim that there is a problem with your account or offer a new benefits card — in either case, they will ask for personal information that should not be given out freely. Vishing scams typically target older people, who are more trusting of phone calls and less knowledgeable about technology and scams.

 

8. Bank Impersonation

 

Using a spoofed caller ID and phone number, the attacker appears to be calling on behalf of the victim's bank. The caller claims that the victim's account has seen unusual activity and requests that the target confirm their bank account information and their mailing address for identification‌. The attacker then uses this information to commit fraud.

 

Also Read | What are Ransomware Attacks and How can they be Prevented?

 

How to Prevent Vishing Attacks?

 

To avoid vishing scams, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers and never give out personal information over the phone. Simply hang up if you suspect the caller is a scammer. Remembering these tips, as well as learning how to identify vishing and other phishing scams will help you avoid becoming a victim.

 

The success of vishing scams is dependent on human error, and vishing prevention is best accomplished by becoming aware of human vulnerabilities. Examine the common vishing examples above to learn when to be cautious.

 

Never give out or confirm personal information over the phone. Most businesses will not call you to ask for this information. Don't call any phone numbers they provide to validate them, either; instead, use Google or another trustworthy source to find the information you require.

 

If you believe you are on a suspicious call, you should ask the caller for more specific details, such as the reason for the call or how they obtained your phone number. And, while it may be impolite, you can simply hang up if you suspect a scam.

 

Registering your phone number on the Do Not Call registry (in the United States) or Telephone Preference Services (in the United Kingdom) may prevent some unwanted sales calls, but it is far from perfect. After all, scammers are unlikely to heed your request to refrain from receiving unsolicited calls.

 

If you don't frequently receive calls from unknown numbers, you can simply refuse to answer any unknown number that attempts to contact you. If a visitor leaves a message claiming to be from a known organization, rather than returning the call, contact that organization directly.

 

Many of these prevention strategies are effective against all types of scams, both online and offline. However, strengthening your online security with antivirus software and other tools can make a significant difference in protecting you and your private information.

 

We've seen what a Vishing attack is and how it works in this blog. As a result, some precautions must be taken to avoid a phishing attack, such as not giving or confirming personal information over the phone. Remember that your bank, police department, hospital, or any other government agency will never call you to ask for personal information.

 

Pay close attention to the phone caller. Take note of the language used and pause to consider your response. Never give out any personal information. Do not check your address twice. Threats and time-sensitive requests should be avoided. Do not respond to emails or social media messages requesting your phone number.