What Is Spoofing?

Spoofing is a tool hackers use in various kinds of cyberattacks to disguise themselves and to appear as though they are legitimate. For example, a user might receive an email from what appears to be the user’s bank. The email will (falsely) claim that there has been a breach in security, and that, in order to keep personal data safe, the user must click on a link provided and enter the password associated with the given account. After clicking on the link, the user is directed to what appears to be the bank’s legitimate website, when in fact it is a replica of the site created by the hacker. Once the user inputs the password, the hacker will have it and will be able to access the user’s account information through the bank’s actual website.