Cybersecurity Project Showcase: Email Phishing and Spoofing Demonstration
By Amhar Azwar
In October 2023, I found myself stepping into the shoes of a cyber adversary—not to cause harm, but to understand how hackers think and how easily people can fall into the traps of phishing attacks. As part of a cybersecurity awareness project at SLIIT City Uni, I took on the challenge of simulating a real-world phishing attempt to expose the human side of cyber vulnerabilities.
I began with weeks of research. I read countless articles, watched tutorials, explored online forums, and practiced in isolated virtual labs. With a bit of guidance from my lecturer, Mr. Anuruddha Abeyasingha, and a whole lot of trial and error on my part, I designed a full-fledged phishing simulation using Kali Linux and the Social Engineering Toolkit (SEToolkit).
I crafted a realistic-looking login page that mirrored a well-known platform and used Google’s SMTP server to send out spoofed emails that appeared convincingly authentic. Every detail—from the subject line to the layout of the page—was meant to replicate the real thing.
To my surprise (and concern), a number of users entered their login credentials without hesitation. Thankfully, this was all done in a controlled, ethical environment with no real damage. But the results were deeply revealing. It confirmed what I had suspected: technology can be advanced, but human behavior is still the most exploitable weakness in cybersecurity.
This hands-on experience taught me more than just how phishing works—it gave me a clear understanding of the psychology behind cyber attacks, the technical tools used, and the importance of digital hygiene. It made me aware of how cyber threats operate and emphasized why security awareness is critical in today’s world.
I walked away from this project with practical skills in:
- Kali Linux
- SEToolkit
- Email Spoofing
- SMTP Server Setup
- Phishing Site Creation
- Ethical Hacking
- Cybersecurity Awareness
- Social Engineering
More than anything, this project sparked a genuine passion in me for cybersecurity. It taught me not just how hacking works—but why ethical hacking matters.
"The biggest vulnerability in any system is not the code—it's the human behind the screen."