AQA · GCSE · Computer Science
Course version: 8525 · Version from Sept 2020
Pharming is a cyber attack intended to redirect a website's traffic to a…
Full specification wording
Cyber security threats: Pharming is a cyber attack intended to redirect a website's traffic to a fake website.
Pharming is an attack in which a user's request for a legitimate website is silently sent to a fraudulent site instead.
Checked against the AQA 8525 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 11
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Pharming is an attack in which a user's request for a legitimate website is silently sent to a fraudulent site instead. The key idea is that the user does not have to click a suspicious link: the redirection happens through manipulation of the systems that translate a web address into a server location, such as the domain name system or the local hosts file on a device. The fake site often looks identical to the real one and may collect login details or payment information. Contrast this with phishing, where the user is deceived into following a link or replying. In a multiple-choice question, look for the option that describes automatic redirection of traffic to a counterfeit site without the user choosing to visit it.
What earns the marks
- Identifies pharming as the redirection of a user's web traffic to a fake website.
- Recognises that the redirection can occur without the user clicking a malicious link.
- Links the attack to manipulation of name resolution, such as the domain name system or a device's hosts file.
- Explains the purpose, such as stealing credentials or financial details through a counterfeit site.
- Distinguishes pharming from phishing by noting that phishing depends on the user being tricked into acting.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing pharming with phishing.
Put it right: Pharming redirects traffic automatically, while phishing relies on the user responding to a deceptive message.
Thinking pharming requires the user to click a link.
Put it right: The redirection can happen when the user types the correct address.
Believing the fake site must look obviously wrong.
Put it right: It is often designed to look like the genuine site.
Assuming pharming only affects one user's device.
Put it right: It can affect many users if a shared name-resolution service is compromised.
Exam tips
- Look for the option that mentions redirection of traffic rather than a deceptive message.
- Check whether the option explains how the redirection happens, such as through name resolution.
- Eliminate options that describe the user being tricked into clicking, as these describe phishing.
Try the lesson
The start of the Cyber security threats: Pharming is a cyber attack intended to redirect a website's traffic to a fake website. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
A user types a bank's correct web address into a browser but is silently taken to a convincing copy of the bank's site. Which type of attack does this describe?
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