Final answer:
Pharming is a cyber-attack where hackers redirect users to a fraudulent website that resembles a legitimate one in order to steal sensitive data. It's done through DNS poisoning or domain hijacking, and protection against it includes security best practices and cautious online behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The technique hackers use to redirect users to a malicious or compromised site through the exploitation of legitimate services is known as pharming. Pharming is a more sophisticated method than phishing because it can occur without the need for the victim to click on a link. Instead, pharming attacks usually involve domain hijacking or DNS poisoning, where the website's address that a user types into their browser is redirected to an imposter site. Cybercriminals create this duplicitous website to appear as legitimate as possible to collect sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or personal information.
The hackers might also compromise a DNS server and change the IP address to which a domain name resolves. This makes the redirection process invisible to users, since they believe they're visiting the intended site as usual. It's a particularly insidious form of cyber-attack because it does not require the user to make an error like clicking on a suspicious link, but rather exploits vulnerabilities in the domain name system itself.
The damage from pharming can be significant, leading to stolen identities, financial loss, and unauthorized access to secure systems. To protect against pharming, organizations and individuals should implement security measures such as regularly updating server software, using trusted DNS providers, employing firewalls and intrusion detection systems, and by raising awareness about the importance of cautious online behavior.