What is Pharming? How it Works and How to Prevent It

28/09/2025

What is Pharming?

Pharming is an advanced cyberattack that aims to redirect users from legitimate websites to fake pages controlled by hackers. Unlike phishing, where users are tricked into clicking fraudulent links, pharming works at the technical level: traffic is manipulated without the user noticing. The result? Theft of personal data, login credentials, and financial information.

How does a Pharming attack work?

Pharming manipulates the domain name resolution (DNS) process. Normally, when you type an address like www.company.com, the system converts that name into the correct server IP address. Hackers, through DNS cache poisoning or by modifying the hosts file on the victim’s device, redirect the user to a fake website—even when the correct address is typed in the browser.

DNS manipulation – Attackers corrupt DNS servers or local caches, altering the domain resolution path.
Fake websites – Users believe they are on the official site but are actually on an identical copy built to steal data.
Credential theft – Banking details, e-commerce logins, emails, and social networks are the main targets.

Pharming vs. Phishing: what’s the difference?

Although both aim to steal data, there are clear differences:

Phishing: Tricks users through fraudulent links sent via email, SMS, or social media.
Pharming: Directly manipulates domain resolution systems, redirecting traffic to fake sites without user interaction.

In practice, phishing relies on a user “click,” while pharming works even if the correct address is typed.

Examples of Pharming attacks

There are documented cases where millions of users were affected. In some countries, online banking customers were redirected to fake login pages, allowing attackers to steal credentials on a massive scale. Other attacks targeted e-commerce stores, capturing credit card data and personal information from buyers.

Impact of Pharming on businesses

A pharming attack can have devastating consequences for companies of any size:

Theft of sensitive data – Including financial data, client access, and internal information.
Loss of trust – Customers stop trusting brands that have been compromised.
Financial losses – From fraudulent transactions to lawsuits and regulatory fines.
Reputation damage – A company’s image can be severely affected, making recovery difficult.

How to protect your business against Pharming attacks?

Protection requires a mix of technical measures, best practices, and user awareness. The main steps are:

Use SSL/TLS certificates – Ensure all pages use HTTPS and certificates are up to date.
Implement DNSSEC – Domain Name System Security Extensions validate the authenticity of DNS responses.
Continuous monitoring – Detect anomalous traffic or suspicious changes in real time.
Educate employees – Cybersecurity training helps identify attack signals and act quickly.
Partner with secure cloud and hosting providers – Well-configured infrastructures reduce DNS attack risks.

Best practices for end users

Besides corporate measures, end users must also remain alert:

Check the URL – Confirm the address has HTTPS and the domain is correct.
Keep software updated – Operating systems, antivirus, and browsers must always be current.
Avoid public Wi-Fi without VPN – These environments are highly vulnerable to redirection attacks.
Enable two-factor authentication – Adds an extra security layer against unauthorized access.

The future of cybersecurity against Pharming

With the digitalization of businesses and the growth of online shopping, pharming attacks are expected to rise. Advances in DNSSEC, AI-driven traffic monitoring, and new browser security policies are crucial steps to combat this threat. However, the most effective defense remains a combination of strong technology and a cybersecurity-first culture.

Conclusion

Pharming is a silent yet extremely dangerous threat for users and businesses. By compromising domain resolution, hackers can trick even the most cautious users. That’s why investing in advanced protection, best practices, and trusted technology partners is essential. At Basicamente Digital, we help brands stay safe from cyberthreats while scaling their digital growth with secure, scalable solutions.