Which technique involves forging the origin of a message to appear from a trusted source?

Which technique involves forging the origin of a message to appear from a trusted source?

• A. Spoofing
• B. Phishing
• C. Hijacking
• D. Sniffing

Answer: (A)

Spoofing is the technique of forging the origin of a message to appear from a trusted source. By manipulating identifiers such as the From header in email or the source IP address in network packets, an attacker makes the message look like it came from someone or something the recipient trusts. This deception can lure victims into taking action, sharing secrets, or clicking malicious links. In practice, you see email spoofing where the sender seems to be a legitimate contact, or network spoofing like IP spoofing that makes packets look as if they’re coming from a trusted machine, which can bypass simple defenses or help intercept responses. This is distinct from phishing in that the core method is misrepresenting identity, whereas phishing is the broader tactic that uses deception to obtain sensitive information; hijacking refers to taking over an ongoing session, and sniffing is about passively capturing data.

Spoofing is the technique of forging the origin of a message to appear from a trusted source. By manipulating identifiers such as the From header in email or the source IP address in network packets, an attacker makes the message look like it came from someone or something the recipient trusts. This deception can lure victims into taking action, sharing secrets, or clicking malicious links. In practice, you see email spoofing where the sender seems to be a legitimate contact, or network spoofing like IP spoofing that makes packets look as if they’re coming from a trusted machine, which can bypass simple defenses or help intercept responses. This is distinct from phishing in that the core method is misrepresenting identity, whereas phishing is the broader tactic that uses deception to obtain sensitive information; hijacking refers to taking over an ongoing session, and sniffing is about passively capturing data.