Phishing: Classification and Countermeasures

In this paper we investigate the problem of phishing. Phishing is a hybrid problem in that it involves both technical and social issues. In this paper, we also discuss the polymorphic nature of phishing attacks and how this can make defense more difficult. Despite the persistence of the phishing problem, there are ways to combat it and we discuss them in this paper. We highlight countermeasures to tackle phishing and propose suggestions to businesses in order to minimize the loss of revenue and reputation to phishing attacks. The paper discusses technical methods of defending against phishing attacks hardening the infrastructure, and training employees against phishing attacks.