Phishing Dark Waters: The Offensive and Defensive Sides of Malicious Emails

Chapter 7The Professional Phisher's Tackle Bag

“Technology is just a tool.”

—Bill Gates

I remember the first time my grandpa took me deep sea fishing. I was about five or six years old. We went on this large boat that headed out into the ocean. The farther we got from shore, the less land I could see. Was I scared? Not at all—but why not? My grandpa tied a large rope around my waist and then tied the other end to the railing of the boat. I can remember him saying, “At least if you fall over we can reel in a big shark!”

We got out to our designated area, and the boat hands pulled out these giant rods. The reels were bigger than me, and the lines had giant hooks at the end. The boat hands attached a giant shrimp to the hook and then let the line down into the water before handing me a rod. My tiny little hands could barely hold the rod, let alone reel anything in. When the boat hands saw my struggle, they handed me a tiny “Tony the Tiger” fishing pole. I felt like the big man on campus, but I was never going to catch anything with that rod.

Why? It was the wrong tool for the job. The first rod was the right tool, but I didn't have the strength or skill to wield it. And herein lies the lesson that composes this chapter.

Up to now we have discussed all the psychology behind phishing, the rationale to create a great program, and the logic behind deciding how to proceed while avoiding common pitfalls. The last piece of the puzzle is the tools.

Not just the tools, though. It would ...