In social engineering attacks, an attacker tries to gain access to data or services by forging relationships with people whose trust they can exploit. The first line of defense is to stay alert. The attacker might lure you into a conversation that becomes more of an interrogation. However, the best way to protect yourself from social engineering is to know who you can trust and be trustworthy yourself. You need to identify anyone who might gain access to your account or may influence it and ensure they have a good reason for doing so.
What is a Social Engineering Attack?
Social engineering attack is a form of hacking in which an attacker tries to get access or information by exploiting trust. It is a very effective attack because it leverages your desire to help people, curiosity, and naivete. A social engineer can make you an unwitting accomplice by using high-level manipulation to get whatever the attacker wants. It’s a form of hacking, but instead of breaking into computers, social engineers try to gain access to them by tricking employees into giving up information or downloading malware.
Social Engineering Techniques
Social engineering attacks may be carried out over the phone, via email, or via text messages. A social engineer may call a company and ask for access to a restricted area, or they may impersonate someone in order to get someone else to open an email account on their behalf.
Social engineers use many different tactics in order to achieve their goals. For example, they may claim that they are calling from a company’s help desk and request remote access so they can fix something on your computer or network. Or they might claim that they need your password or other personal information such as bank credentials so they can resolve an issue with your bank account.
In some cases, social engineers will even pretend to be law enforcement officers and threaten legal action if you refuse to comply with their demands for information. While it’s important for businesses to take these threats seriously, remember that the police will never call up someone and ask them for their passwords over the phone!
Purpose of Social Engineering
Social engineering is often used in phishing attacks, which are emails that appear to be from a trusted source but are actually aimed at stealing your personal information. The emails usually contain an attachment with malicious software (often called malware) that will infect your computer if opened.
The goal of social engineering is always the same: getting access to something valuable without having to work for it.
1. Stealing sensitive information
So social engineers may try to trick you into giving up your password and login credentials (such as your username/email address) so they can access your email account or social media profile where they can steal personal information like credit card numbers and bank account info from previous transactions.
2. Identity theft
They could also use this information to assume the victim’s identity and carry out malicious activities posing to be them down the line if they choose not to destroy it immediately.
Example of a Social Engineering Attack
The use of deception and trickery to gain an advantage extends far before the widespread availability of personal computers and the world wide web. But we can look further back in history to see some of the most egregious social engineering attack cases.
In the most recent incident, which occurred in February 2020, a phishing attempt using a bogus renovation invoice successfully conned Barbara Corcoran of ABC’s “Shark Tank” out of almost $400,000.
If you are a victim of social engineering attacks, it is essential to know how to protect yourself from being victimized. Learn the warning signs of a potential threat and how to protect yourself.
How to Identify a Social Engineering Attack?
1. Trust your gut
If you receive any emails or phone calls that sound suspicious, don’t give out any information until you’ve verified your identity. You can do this by calling your company directly or by checking in with the person who supposedly sent the email or left a message on your voicemail.
2. Don’t submit your personal information
If someone asks for your Social Security number or other private details, that’s a sign that they’re trying to take advantage of your trust and use it against you later. It’s advised not to give out any information unless it’s necessary.
3. Unusual Requests Without Context
Social engineers usually make large requests without giving any context. If someone asks for money or other resources without explaining why they need it, there’s probably something fishy going on there. It’s better to err on the side of caution when someone makes a large request like this—you never know what kind of damage could be done with access to your bank account!
Here are some ways you can spot social engineering attacks:
- Receiving an email from someone who claims to be from your IT department asking you to reset your password and provide it in an email or text message
- Receiving an email from someone claiming to be from your bank asking for personal information, such as your account number or PIN code
- Receiving an email from someone claiming to be from your bank asking for personal information, such as your account number or PIN code
- Being asked for information about the company by someone claiming to be from the company’s HR department
Types of the Social Engineering Attacks
Victimizing people through social engineering attacks is a great way to perpetrate fraud. It can take place in several ways.
Gain Access: Hackers can gain access to your bank account by applying for credit in the name of another person. This fraud often involves a phone call or email sent to friends and family, who are then asked to make a wire transfer payment to quickly reimburse the hacker for their toll on the victim’s life.
Steal Personal Information: Another common way people are tricked into handing over their personal information is by believing they have won a prize or contest they never entered but did sign up for. And when they receive such calls to make sure that they will get the prize once they give their details, that’s where the victims come up to the attacker’s trap.
Phishing: In this attack, attackers send emails that look like they’re from legitimate companies or organizations but contain malicious links or attachments. Furthermore, this is one of the most common social engineering attacks worldwide.
Pretexting: Another massive social engineering attack involves creating a false identity or scenario to gain access to personal information. One of the most prominent social engineering examples is where attackers gain access to manipulate people through texting.
Shoulder Surfing: It is an attack where the attacker looks over someone’s shoulder to gain access to confidential information. Sometimes the attacker is nothing but your close friends or loved ones who will be blackmailing you once they get the information they always wanted to have. So, it is essential to keep an eye on such people and never provide every personal detail.
Tailgating: Tailgating is when an attacker follows someone authorized to enter a building or secure area without actually being authorized. It is not as common as other social engineering attacks, but still, it is hazardous and can leave damaging remarks.
5 Ways To Protect Yourself From Social Engineering Attacks
Here we have gathered some helpful tips or ideas which help to protect yourself from being socially attacked or prevent social engineering attacks:
1. Unknown Senders (Emails vs. Text Messages)
Pay close attention to the sender’s email address and the content of the message. Knowing that you don’t need to click on any suspicious document links is essential.
2. Stop Sharing Personal Information
Think before you share personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. No legitimate company or individual should ever ask for this type of sensitive information. Always use strong passwords and change them regularly. Avoid using the same passwords for multiple accounts and save yourself from being a victim of social engineering attacks.
3. Layers Of Security
Use two-factor authentication whenever possible. It can further add an extra layer of security by requiring users to enter a code sent to their mobile phone and their username and password. Always set up authentication codes with your email and phone number so that if someone were to gain access to either system, they wouldn’t be able to use your account directly.
4. Anti-virus Software
Install anti-malware and antivirus software on all of your devices. Keep these programs up to date so they can protect you from the latest threats. However, when you have an antivirus installed on your devices, it can provide an excellent shield from social engineering attacks.
5. Always Be Mindful Of Any Risks
It would help if you always considered risks. Ensure that any request for information is accurate by double- and triple-checking. Keep an eye out for cybersecurity news when you are affected by a recent breach.
Conclusion
To protect yourself from social engineering attacks, you must learn to use precautions against them. As we already provided you with some standard methods of social engineering attacks, which have been used for several ages in the world, make sure to start implementing the precautions now. Social engineering attacks can damage a person’s plus, professional life within seconds. Always protect your devices, passwords, and other log-ins with two set-up authentication verification codes for an outer layer of protection.
Before you do anything else, talk with a trusted IT professional or security expert like PowerDMARC. They can help you understand the risks of social engineering attacks and how to minimize them.
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