// THREAT DETECTION AND DATA PRIVACY TERM
Pharming
Pharming is a cyberattack that redirects users trying to visit a legitimate website to a fraudulent one without their awareness or consent, typically to trick them into revealing personal information. This redirection often occurs without the user clicking any malicious links.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Pharming is a type of online fraud where traffic intended for a legitimate website is surreptitiously redirected to a malicious fake website, commonly executed by DNS poisoning or altering a host file, to facilitate credential harvesting, financial theft, or malware installation.
BACKGROUND
DEF CON is a hacker convention held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first DEF CON took place in June 1993 and today many attendees at DEF CON include computer security professionals, journalists, lawyers, federal government employees, security researchers, students, and hackers with a general interest in software, computer architecture, hardware modification, conference badges, and anything else that can be "hacked". The event consists of several tracks of speakers about computer and hacking-related subjects, as well as cyber-security challenges and competitions. Contests held during the event are extremely varied and can range from creating the longest Wi-Fi connection to finding the most effective way to cool a beer in the Nevada heat.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- DNS poisoning
- host file compromise
- redirection attack
- domain spoofing
USAGE NOTE
Pharming is particularly dangerous because it compromises the fundamental trust in domain name resolution, making it harder for users to detect than typical phishing attacks.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Pharming.
Cloudflare provides web infrastructure and website security services, including DNS security, DDoS protection, and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), which help prevent DNS hijacking and malicious redirection associated with pharming attacks.
Cisco offers a range of cybersecurity solutions, notably Cisco Umbrella, which provides DNS-layer security to block requests to malicious domains before a connection is ever established, effectively protecting users from pharming attempts.
Akamai specializes in cloud security and content delivery, providing web security solutions that include DNS security, anti-phishing, and protection against malicious website redirection, crucial for mitigating pharming threats.
Palo Alto Networks develops next-generation cybersecurity platforms that offer advanced threat prevention, including protection against DNS-based attacks and the ability to detect and block access to fraudulent websites used in pharming.
Zscaler provides a cloud-native security platform offering secure web gateways and DNS security services that protect users from accessing malicious websites and safeguard against DNS hijacking, a common pharming technique.
Fortinet offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity products, including firewalls, web security, and DNS security, designed to protect organizations from various threats, including the malicious redirection characteristic of pharming.
Proofpoint focuses on email and cloud security, providing advanced threat protection that includes URL defense and anti-phishing capabilities, which are essential for preventing users from being redirected to fake sites via email-borne pharming links.