Phishing is a form of social engineering that tricks people into giving out sensitive information. Attackers do this by making the message seem like it is from the company you trust or someone close to you. Phishing attacks have increased in sophistication and often mimic the site they're targeting. They allow the attacker to see everything while you're browsing, which makes them difficult to detect. They also work because they will often transverse any additional security measures you may have, such as 2-factor authentication or SMS verification codes. As of 2020, phishing is by far the most common attack performed by cybercriminals. Of all computer crimes, the ones found to be most frequent are phishing scams.
An email virus is a type of malware that consists of computer code wrapped up in an email message. Viruses spread by sending messages to the victim. This code then infects the victim's machine. The code may be activated when a victim clicks on an infected link or opens an attachment.
Email viruses spread when malicious emails are copied and sent to everyone in the victim's contact list.
Simply put, an email virus is a piece of malicious software or link sent via email. Viruses can potentially go viral if they get into someone else's inbox. A virus can infect both the victim's computer and other networks.
The name malware refers to any software developed by cyber criminals to steal data and damage computers or computer systems. A virus is the most common form of malware but can also include worms, Trojan viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware. Recent malware has taken data indiscriminately.