Definition of “Spoofing� from US-cert.gov
“Email spoofing may occur in different forms, but all have a similar result: a user receives email that appears to have originated from one source when it actually was sent from another source. Email spoofing is often an attempt to trick the user into making a damaging statement or releasing sensitive information (such as passwords).�
Some common types of “Spoofing�:
Personal reputation/credibility damage – one of the more serious implications for activists is having their identity hijacked to undo or sabotage their work.
Identity theft – spoofers will often attempt to get your login and password information for your bank, eBay, AOL and other accounts.
Virus/worm propagation – recently, the swen worm disguised itself as a software update from Microsoft. Users who ran the executable attachment would have their antivirus and firewall software disabled.
Self-sending
Self-sending is unsolicited e-mail that looks like you sent it to yourself: your name appears on the "from" line as well as the "to" line. For example, Bob Thing might receive a message addressed to "bthing@yourprovider.com" that purports to be from "bthing@greatfantasticdeal.com." In some cases a message may appear to be sent from your exact e-mail address. More about It by Techtv.com
How can I tell if I have been spoofed?
Not too long ago, it was relatively easy to spot spoofs if you knew what to look for, This has begun to change as graphic elements and language from the “spoofee� are appropriated to make email seem more authentic.
Updated antivirus software, in this case, is not enough if you don’t know that Microsoft never sends software updates as attachments. Basic “email hygiene� also tells us not to open email attachments indiscriminately.
"Spoofing emails - best practices." 18 Jun 2004. Tech Support Announcement. AIU Online. 18 Jun 2004
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