The Development and Evolution of Phishing
When the internet was first invented, activities such as phishing were almost non-existent. Aside from the odd computer virus, using your computer to access information on the internet was a fairly safe practise, but also one which was really only done by people who knew the ins and outs of using a computer.
As computers became ever more of a stock standard object in the home, and during the period where hundreds of thousands of people flocked to use the internet on a daily basis - a group of people emerged who ultimately took advantage of the shifting dynamics of information gathering.
This group of people became known as scammers, spammers, and eventually phishers.
Early Phishing Attacks and Attempts
In the early days, phishing attacks were almost totally isolated to the email inbox. Because people were starting to rely on email communication more than snail mail and the local postal service, a number of changes occurred.
It was soon discovered that the psychology behind receiving an email almost totally commanded an action to be taken - and this was quickly taken advantage of.
Popularity of Online Shopping and Purchasing
As more and more stores shifted their business online, consumers became ever more comfortable when it came time to give out their credit card or bank account details to an automated system. This was probably the point where phishing really took off.
As a result of these developments, we started to see the following things:
- A surge in spam email.
- Duplicate websites asking for login details and passwords to be entered.
- Physical phishing such as via telephone or even in person.
- A massive jump in fraud costs per annum.
Unfortunately, it seems to be the case that as people have shifted their activities online, spammers and phishers have followed close behind. And, even though there has been a huge emphasis on electronic safety through the media - people still seem to fall for the same tricks which have been used since the very first days of phishing.