what is Vishing
The rising dependence on smartphones in our everyday lives is a well-noticed fact among threat actors. And that makes their game easy in many aspects, especially in triggering various social engineering attacks such as phishing, vishing, and, most popular among them, SMiShing. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the US has recently alerted its citizens about the ballooning of SMiShing attacks across the country.
This tactic is known as "phishing." In phishing, identity thieves impersonate legitimate organizations or individuals through calls or emails to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Variants of phishing include "vishing" (voice phishing) and "smishing" (SMS phishing). Always be cautious and verify the identity of anyone requesting personal information.
Phishing is broadly categorized into three main types: email phishing, where attackers send fraudulent emails to trick individuals into revealing personal information; spear phishing, which targets specific individuals or organizations with personalized messages; and whaling, which focuses on high-profile targets such as executives or key decision-makers within a company. There are also variations like vishing (voice phishing) and smishing (SMS phishing) that utilize phone calls and text messages, respectively.
The attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information on the web is known as phishing. This involves deceptive tactics, such as creating fake websites or sending fraudulent emails, to trick individuals into providing personal data like passwords, credit card numbers, and social security information. Phishing can take various forms, including spear phishing, where specific targets are targeted, and vishing, which involves voice calls. The ultimate goal is often identity theft or financial gain.
The attack type most often linked to social engineering is phishing. In phishing, attackers disguise themselves as trusted sources—like banks, employers, or service providers—to trick victims into clicking malicious links, sharing credentials, or downloading malware. Variants include spear phishing (targeted attacks), vishing (voice calls), and smishing (text messages). Phishing remains the most common and successful form of social engineering because it preys on human trust and urgency rather than technical vulnerabilities.