What does 'vishing' refer to in the context of cybersecurity?

A type of phishing attack that uses voice communication (phone calls) to trick individuals into revealing personal information or performing actions.

Which of the following are common tactics used by vishers? (Select all that apply)

Impersonating trusted entities like banks, government agencies, tech support, or utility companies. Additionally, Creating a sense of urgency, fear, or panic to pressure the victim into immediate action (e.g., 'Your account is compromised!'). Additionally, Demanding payment via untraceable methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. Additionally, Using 'spoofed' phone numbers to make it appear the call is coming from a legitimate organization.

You receive a call claiming to be from the IRS, threatening immediate arrest if you don't pay overdue taxes via gift cards. What is the most appropriate action?

Hang up immediately. Government agencies like the IRS will not demand payment via gift cards or threaten immediate arrest over the phone for tax issues.

Vishing (Voice-based Phishing)

Learn how attackers use AI voice cloning technology and caller ID spoofing to impersonate trusted colleagues and manipulate victims into revealing confidential information over the phone.

What You'll Learn

Understand how AI-generated voice filters can create convincing impersonations of real people
Recognize vishing tactics including urgency creation, authority appeals, and emotional manipulation
Learn to verify caller identity through alternative channels before sharing sensitive information
Identify subtle warning signs in seemingly legitimate requests for confidential data
Understand the importance of adhering to data sharing policies regardless of perceived urgency
Master proper incident reporting procedures when suspicious communications are detected

Training Steps

Introduction

This training simulates a real-world vishing attack where an attacker uses an AI-generated voice filter to impersonate a trusted colleague. Alice works at Nexlify Solutions and is currently leading a high-profile project for one of their major clients, SecureTech Corp. It's a busy Tuesday afternoon when her phone rings. The caller ID shows 'Mike Stevens - Ext. 4247'. Alice knows Mike; he's a really friendly guy from the Infrastructure team. Alice recognizes this as Mike's usual number and answers the call promptly.
The Unexpected Call

Unbeknownst to Alice, Bob has been researching Nexlify Solutions and their client SecureTech for weeks. He gathered information about the company structure, employee names, and internal systems through social media profiles, LinkedIn, and the company website. Bob has also obtained recordings of Mike's voice from publicly available conference presentations and company webinars. Using advanced AI voice cloning software, he has created a convincing replica of Mike's voice and spoofed the caller ID to display Mike's internal extension.
The Convincing Introduction

The voice on the phone sounds exactly like Mike - same tone, speech patterns, and even his characteristic slight Boston accent. All thanks to GenAI technologies and a big dataset of Mike's public talk recordings.
Creating Urgency

Bob establishes urgency and authority by mentioning a sick colleague and an important client meeting.
The Information Request

Alice begins to feel the pressure of the urgent situation and wants to help a colleague in need.
Opening the Files

Alice opens up the company portal and tries to access sensitive data.
Sharing Sensitive Information

Alice begins reading the sensitive information over the phone. This is strictly prohibited by company rules, but the request seems urgent and Mike does not have access to company resources due to a VPN issue.
A Huge Mistake

Alice has now shared highly confidential NDA-protected information including proprietary encryption details, disaster recovery locations, and internal security protocols.
The Suspicious Email

Bob sees that his attack is successful and tries to escalate by sending Alice a phishing email.
Shady Email Arrives

Alice receives an email that appears to be from Mike Thompson.

Knowledge Check Questions

This training includes a 6-question quiz to test your understanding of Vishing (Voice Phishing) threats and defenses.

What does 'vishing' refer to in the context of cybersecurity?
Which of the following are common tactics used by vishers? (Select all that apply)
You receive a call claiming to be from the IRS, threatening immediate arrest if you don't pay overdue taxes via gift cards. What is the most appropriate action?
Which of these are good practices to protect yourself from vishing attacks? (Select all that apply)
What potential consequences can result from falling victim to a vishing attack? (Select all that apply)