What is a spoofing attack?

A spoofing attack involves malicious techniques used to impersonate legitimate senders, which is crucial to understanding how cyber threats can compromise security. In the context of email, spoofing typically involves forging the sender's address to make it appear as though the email is coming from a trusted source. This is often used in phishing attacks to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information or executing harmful actions.

Understanding that spoofing can manipulate the perception of authenticity is vital for recognizing potential threats and implementing effective countermeasures. These may include checks like SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), which help verify the legitimacy of incoming emails. This knowledge is instrumental for anyone working with email security and managing risks associated with fraudulent communications.