🛡️Cybersecurity Term of the Day: Phishing

Do you know that not every cyber attack is "technical" or advanced.

Sometimes it's just… a message that looks normal enough to trust.

Phishing is one of the most common cyber attacks. It happens when attackers pretend to be a trusted person or organisation just to trick you into giving up sensitive information like passwords, bank details, or personal data.

Most of the time, it doesn't even look suspicious at first glance.

A common example of this (especially here in Nigeria) is when someone receives an email or SMS that looks like it's from their bank such as Opay, GTBank, or Access Bank

The message usually looks very real, sometimes even including the bank's logo and branding.

It then claims there is an urgent issue with the account like BVN update, account restriction, or security verification and pressures the user to act immediately by clicking a link.

The link leads to a fake login page that looks exactly like the bank's official website.

Out of concern, the person enters their login details or OTP without realizing it's a setup and at that point, the attacker already has access.😑

🛡️ A few simple ways to stay safe:

✔️ Pause before clicking anything urgent or unexpected

✔️ Double-check the sender's email or number

✔️ Don't log in through random links — go directly to the website ✔️ If it feels rushed or emotional (fear/excitement), be extra careful ✔️ Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) [This will be our next Cyber Term].

One thing I have learnt is this:

Most attacks don't start with systems… they actually start with people.

Ensure to stay cyber aware and vigilant.

Have you ever had a phishing attempt land in your inbox or phone before?

#Cybersecurity #Phishing #CyberAwareness #SOCAnalyst #LearningInPublic #InformationSecurity #CyberTerm