Phishing

This first part will define phishing, explain its origins and how it has evolved over the years, and provide tips on how to protect yourself and detect an attack.

Definition and background

Phishing is a cybercrime in which one or more targets are contacted by e-mail, telephone or SMS by an entity posing as a legitimate institution or person, in order to trick individuals into providing sensitive data such as personal identification information, bank or credit card details, and passwords.

This information is then used to access important accounts, and can lead to identity theft and financial loss.

To avoid falling prey to these scams yourself, it's useful to have a basic understanding of their history, how they work and, above all, how to recognize an attack of this type.

Table of contents

Title	Description
Origins	Describes the origins of phishing since the first attack.
Evolution	The evolution of phishing from its inception to the present day.
Statistics	Phishing figures.
Techniques	Phishing techniques used by cybercriminals.
Protection	How to detect phishing, protect yourself and file a complaint.