What is Phishing?

Hello Friends!

I don't know what this Phishing word actually means but i have knows its something related to internet security 7 so on but dont know what it is actually mean? Is it any Virus or malware or any threat?

Regards,

Phishing (also known as carding or spoofing) derives its name from the use of sophisticated lures (such as emails designed to look like they come from a real company or institution) that are created by unsavory characters to "fish" for users' financial information, credit card details, and passwords.

Phishing is a type of deception designed to steal your valuable personal data, such as credit card numbers, Windows Live IDs, other account data and passwords, or other information.

You might see a phishing scam:

In e-mail messages, even if they appear to be from a coworker or someone you know.

On your social networking Web site.

On a fake Web site that accepts donations for charity.

On Web sites that spoof your familiar sites using slightly different Web addresses, hoping you won't notice.

In your instant message program.

On your cell phone or other mobile device.

Often phishing scams rely on placing links in e-mail messages, on Web sites, or in instant messages that seem to come from a service that you trust, like your bank, credit card company, or social networking site.

What to look for in a phishing email

1. Generic greeting. Phishing emails are usually sent in large batches. To save time, Internet criminals use generic names like "First Generic Bank Customer" so they don't have to type all recipients' names out and send emails one-by-one. If you don't see your name, be suspicious.
2. Forged link. Even if a link has a name you recognize somewhere in it, it doesn't mean it links to the real organization. Roll your mouse over the link and see if it matches what appears in the email. If there is a discrepency, don't click on the link. Also, websites where it is safe to enter personal information begin with "https" — the "s" stands for secure. If you don't see "https" do not proceed.
3. Requests personal information. The point of sending phishing email is to trick you into providing your personal information. If you receive an email requesting your personal information, it is probably a phishing attempt.
4. Sense of urgency. Internet criminals want you to provide your personal information now. They do this by making you think something has happened that requires you to act fast. The faster they get your information, the faster they can move on to another victim.

How can we detect phishing?

It is easy to detect phishing scam.
For example, if you get an email from a bank you’ve never opened an account at, then don’t follow the link and enter your personal information.

Now, if you actually have an account at the institution it gets more interesting. You’ll want to look at the message carefully to see if it is a phishing scam. Are words misspelled? Sometimes scammers operate in a second language and they give themselves away by using poor grammar.
You should also examine the link provided. Does it really go where it appears to go?
For example, I could tell you that I’m giving you access to the government’s Top Secret Database at https://www.TopSecretDatabase.gov but if you click the link you’ll find that you’ve been directed to a different site. The best way to prevent this is to copy and paste the link (don’t click it) to your address bar. However, you can still get tricked by URL’s that look legitimate but have one or two letters switched.
The best way to avoid becoming a phishing victim is to use your best judgment. No financial institution with any sense will email you and ask you to input all of your sensitive information. In fact, most institutions are informing customers that “We will never ask you for your personal information via phone or email”.
may this link help you..
http://reports-archive.adm.cs.cmu.ed...SRI-06-112.pdf