Understanding Phishing Attacks

Published on Apr 15, 2025

Did you know that 91% of cybercrime starts with a simple email? In today's digital landscape, phishing has evolved into a sophisticated cyber threat that poses significant risks to both individuals and organizations. Let's examine how these attacks actually work.

At its core, phishing is all about deception. Cybercriminals have developed an impressive arsenal of techniques to create perfect replicas of legitimate websites. They manipulate URLs, clone websites, and even obtain SSL certificates to make their fake pages appear authentic. The objective is to deceive users into entering sensitive information like login credentials, credit card details, or personal data.

Phishers don't just create fake websites - they build entire infrastructures to support their operations. This includes:

Modern phishers employ various techniques to avoid detection:

Once the infrastructure is in place, phishers distribute their malicious URLs primarily through spam emails. These are carefully crafted messages designed to appear legitimate and compelling, often mimicking communications from trusted organizations.

Perhaps most concerning is the emergence of phishing kits - pre-packaged tools that make it easier than ever to launch phishing campaigns. These kits essentially democratize cybercrime, allowing even less technically skilled individuals to conduct sophisticated attacks.

The combination of these deceptive tactics and robust infrastructure enables malicious actors to conduct large-scale and highly effective phishing attacks, representing a significant security challenge in our digital age.

Funding

European Cybersecurity Competence Centre and Network
Co-funded by the European Union

The project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101128042 is supported by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. Neither the European Union nor the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre can be held responsible for them.


Project details

  • Project number: 101128042
  • Call: DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03
  • Topic: DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03-UPTAKE-CYBERSOLUTIONS
  • Type of action: DIGITAL JU SME Support Actions
  • Project starting date: 1 October 2023
  • Project end date: 30 September 2026

Contact

  • Coordinating partner: KOR Labs
  • Email: threatchase@korlabs.io