As technology continues to advance, connect and impact every part of the modern workplace, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and frequent.

As part of an ongoing blog series, “Fraud, Cyber & Security Smarts,” isolved subject matter experts will share timely insights and actionable strategies to help organizations safeguard their data and infrastructure. From emerging attack methods to foundational defense tactics, the goal is to keep you informed, protected and one step ahead of cybercriminals.

Kicking off the series, we asked isolved’s Head of Fraud Prevention Steve Lenderman to provide insights on pharming attacks. Pharming attacks may not make headlines every day, but they pose a serious threat to businesses of all sizes. That’s why building cybersecurity awareness and reinforcing best practices across your team is essential.

This blog breaks down what pharming is, how it works and the steps you can take to help protect your organization.

Q: What are pharming attacks? How are they different than phishing attacks?

Pharming and phishing are both cyberattacks aimed at stealing sensitive information, but they differ significantly in method and execution.

Here's a breakdown:

Pharming is a technical attack that redirects users to a fraudulent website without their knowledge, even if they type in the correct uniform resource locator (URL).

Phishing is a social engineering attack that tricks users into voluntarily giving up personal information usually by email but can also take place via short message service (SMS) phishing (smishing), voice phishing (vishing) or quick-response (QR) codes (Quishing)

Q: How can cybercriminals use pharming to steal employee or customer information?

Here are a few ways cybercriminals use pharming to steal employee or customer information:

• DNS Manipulation or Poisoning: Attackers compromise domain name system (DNS) servers or local DNS caches. When a user types in a legitimate URL, like a company’s login page, they’re redirected to a fake site controlled by the attacker.
• Fake Websites: The fraudulent site is designed to look identical to the real one with the same branding, layout and login fields. Victims enter credentials, payment info or secure tokens, which go straight to the attacker.
• Malware-Based Redirects: Malware on employee devices or routers alters DNS settings or host files. This reroutes traffic to attacker-controlled internet protocol (IP) addresses without user awareness.

Q: What is the end goal of a pharming attack?

The end goal of a pharming attack is to steal sensitive personal or financial information for the following purposes:

• Credential theft
• Financial fraud
• Identity theft
• System access
• Data harvesting

Q: What are some reasons pharming attacks are successful?

There are many reasons why pharming attacks are so successful:

• Invisible to Users: Victims are redirected without clicking anything. URLs may appear correct, and users often don’t notice anything suspicious.
• DNS Vulnerabilities: DNS servers and local DNS caches are vulnerable to poisoning or hijacking. Once compromised, they can redirect thousands of users to fake sites. A poisoned DNS server can have a scalable impact on an entire organization or region.
• Malware-Based Redirection: Malware can alter host files or DNS settings on a user’s device. This reroutes traffic silently, even if the user types in the correct URL.
• Fake Sites Look Legitimate: Attackers replicate branding, layout and even hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) indicators making users feel confident entering sensitive data.
• Limited Awareness and Training: Many users and even some information technology (IT) teams aren’t trained to recognize pharming. It’s often confused with phishing, leading to gaps in defense strategies.

Q: What steps should an employee take if they suspect they’ve fallen victim to a pharming attack?

If an employee suspects they’ve been a pharming attack victim, they should take the following steps:

1. Immediately notify the IT department.
2. Change, not alter, your password. This means changing your entire password to something unique and follows cybersecurity/your organization’s standards (i.e. at least 16 characters long, using a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols, etc.), rather than adding or changing a single character.
3. Switch to passkeys. Passkeys are a method of verifying an app or website user who is tied to both the app or website and the device trying to gain access that leverages biometric login methods, such as facial recognition, fingerprint scanning or even a personal identification number (PIN). Both “keys” must fit before a user is allowed access.
4. Review your hacked account for changes, such as financial accounts, phone, email, address or other sensitive data.
5. Review your original deposit bank account for unusual activity, as well as change your password and place fraud alerts. You can also obtain a new account number from the bank as a precaution. 
6. Activate a credit freeze with these credit bureaus as a precaution. 
   • Equifax 
   • Experian 
   • TransUnion 

Q: How can employee training reduce the risk of pharming attacks?

Employee training not only reduces the risk of pharming attacks but also fosters stronger cybersecurity awareness and culture. Some benefits of employee training include improved awareness, better cyber hygiene, safer browsing habits and more prompt reporting.

Q: How can businesses identify a pharming attack in progress, i.e. what are common signs that a website or login portal has been compromised?

While pharming attacks might not be obviously evident, there are a few ways they can be spotted through regular auditing and prompt reporting. Reduced traffic to a valid site or change in the code/structure of a valid site are key indicators of a pharming attack. From a user standpoint, multiple users reporting similar issues, such as unusual emails or alerts, changes to account data, or an inability to log in, can indicate a compromised system.

Q: How do pharming attacks impact businesses?

Unfortunately, the impact on businesses can be catastrophic because pharming attacks can affect more than one area of business. Here are a few ways pharming attacks impact businesses:

• Financial Losses: Attackers can steal payment credentials and initiate unauthorized transfers, as well as redirect traffic and compromise systems. As a result, attacks can halt business operations impacting profitability. Additional remediation costs to invest in forensic investigations, system recovery and legal support can also impact a business’s finances.
• Employee and Customer Data Breaches: Employees may unknowingly enter login details into spoofed portals, which allows attackers to harvest and misuse customers’ personal and financial data. Stolen data can be used to impersonate employees or customers, leading to secondary attacks and further breaches.
• Reputational Damage: If a business experiences a pharming attack, it not only takes a toll on operational and financial circumstances but also creates a loss of trust and significantly impacts brand reputation. Customers may lose confidence in the business’s ability to protect their data. Being associated with a breach, even if the infrastructure was externally compromised, can tarnish a brand’s image.
• Legal and Regulatory Consequences: Cyber attacks don’t just stop at organizational damage. Pharming-related breaches may violate General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or other data protection laws. As a result, businesses may face regulatory fines or lawsuits from affected parties.
• Strategic Distraction: Another consideration is the intent to drain organizational resources. IT and security teams must divert attention from strategic initiatives to incident response.

Q: Beyond employee training, what tools or technologies can businesses implement to strengthen their defense against pharming?

There are some tools and technologies businesses can leverage to protect against pharming attacks. Here are a few to consider:

• Secure DNS Services: Use DNS providers that offer pharming protection, such as Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). DNSSEC validates DNS responses to prevent tampering or redirection.
• Endpoint Protection and Anti-Malware: Deploy advanced antivirus and anti-malware tools that detect host file manipulation, DNS hijacking and suspicious redirects.
• Web Filtering and Traffic Monitoring: Implement web filters to block access to known malicious domains. Monitor DNS traffic for anomalies, such as unexpected IP resolutions or high volumes of DNS queries.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Even if credentials are stolen, MFA adds a second layer of defense. Use hardware tokens, authenticator apps, or biometric verification.

Staying ahead of threats like pharming starts with awareness and strengthening cybersecurity training and best practices. By understanding how these attacks work and following expert guidance, you can help protect your organization from costly breaches.

To stay in the know about the latest fraud, cyber and security trends, connect with fellow human resources (HR), payroll, benefits and talent professionals in the isolved People Heroes Community.

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