Pharming is a Cyber Attack that attempts to redirect internet traffic to a fake website that is mimicking a legitimate website. Like most Cyber Attacks, Pharming is intended to steal data or to infect our device with malware or a virus.

Brandon University subscribes to services that will detect and deny access to Pharming websites, but you still can end up on a Pharming website.

If you are unsure if a website is legitimate or not there are a few simple ways to find out.

• Check the URL to make sure it is correct and there are no extra characters in the URL. For Example:
  • https://www.google.com is legitimate
  • http://www.google.com.info/google is not legitimate.
• If the site is using HTTPS check the certificate.
  • Most internet browsers will show a padlock beside the URL. Click it and then View Certificate. There you can see who the certificate was issued to. This should match the website that you are trying to access.
• Check for spelling or grammatical errors.

For more information please visit the Get Cyber Safe Pharming website.