obfuscated URL Last modified: Monday, September 21, 2009
Also called a hyperlink trick, an obfuscated URL is a type of attack where the real URL that a user is directed to is obfuscated — or concealed — to encourage the user to click-through to the spoof Web site. For example, the attacker may use a cleverly misspelled domain name (e.g. PayPals.com instead of PayPal.com), or hide the actual URL in friendly text, such as "click here to verify your account now". Obfuscated URLs are commonly used in phishing attacks and other spam e-mails. See also image spam. Also see the All About Phishing page in the Did You Know? section of Webopedia.
•E-mail this definition to a colleague• For internet.com pages about obfuscated URL . Also check out the following links! TrendMicro: Security Threats and Best Practices for Staying Safe  Trend Micro's Internet Safety for Kids & Families program covers a wide range of issues, such as cyberbullying, risky social networking, age-inappropriate content, and identity theft. Webopedia's "Did You Know...?" Section  Use this Webopedia knowledge section for an in-depth overview of specific technologies and occurrences in the areas of Computer Science, The Internet, and Computer Hardware and Software. Webopedia's "Did You Know...All About Phishing"  An e-mail scam is a fraudulent e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate Internet address with a justifiable request — usually to verify your personal information or account details. Webopedia's "Did You Know?" Article  The Difference Between a Virus, Worm and Trojan Horse. Phishing Delivery Mechanisms The key for a phisher's success is to fool users to follow a URL — found in an email; a banner ad or one of those many ways discussed here and elsewhere — and lure them into spewing out information for an attacker�s malicious use.	Security Viruses e-mail hyperlink malware phish phishing spam spyware URL Give Us Your Feedback Shopping url Products Compare Products,Prices and Stores Shop by Category: Firewalls 212 Model Matches Routers 74 Model Matches