Phishing 

When it comes to phishing attacks, there are a few that stand out above the rest — like the now-infamous attack on Sony’s network. Hackers executed the attack by sending phishing emails requesting verification for Apple IDs to system engineers, network administrators and other unsuspecting employees with system credentials. The attackers absconded with gigabytes worth of files, which included emails, financial reports, and digital copies of recently released films. On top of that, the malicious actors then infused Sony’s workstation computers with malware that erased the machines’ hard drives. A few weeks later, the FBI formally pointed to the North Korean government as the mastermind behind the attack

What you need to know: A phishing attack tricks everyday consumers, users, or employees into clicking on a malicious link, often driving them to a bogus site to provide personally identifiable information such as banking account numbers, credit card information or passwords, delivered via email, direct message or other communication. Be wary — while these bogus sites may look convincing, attackers will harvest any information you submit to them. Or they may launch malware aimed at stealing funds from your accounts, personally identifiable customer information or other critical assets.