Social engineering is a form of cyber attack that relies on human interaction and manipulation rather than solely on technology. It involves tricking individuals or organizations into divulging confidential information or performing actions that may not necessarily be in their best interests. Social engineering attacks can take many forms, including phishing emails, phone scams, or even physical theft. Attackers can use a variety of tactics to gain the trust of their victims, including impersonation, intimidation, or even posing as someone in a position of authority.
Social engineering attacks are becoming increasingly common in today’s digital landscape. These attacks rely on human interaction and manipulation to extract sensitive information or actions from individuals or organizations. Social engineering attacks can come in many forms, such as phishing emails, phone scams, or even physical theft. Attackers use a variety of tactics to gain the trust of their victims, including impersonation, intimidation, or posing as someone in a position of authority.
To protect yourself and your organization from social engineering attacks, it’s essential to stay vigilant and be aware of the types of attacks that can occur. Always verify the legitimacy of requests before providing sensitive information or performing any action. Below is a short list of some ot the different types of social engineering attacks that exist. Educate yourself and others in your organization on these types of attacks. By staying informed and aware of the dangers of social engineering attacks, you’ll be better equipped to protect yourself and your organization from potential harm.
Some type of Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering attacks can take many forms and can be executed through various methods. Some common types of social engineering attacks include:
- Phishing attacks: Email, text or voice communications that trick individuals into clicking a malicious link or disclosing sensitive information.
- Vishing attacks: directed attacks against individuals by phone calls, usually the attacker finds out as much as possible about the target using Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) in order to be more convincing
- Baiting attacks: Offering a reward, discount, or gift to trick individuals into performing an action or disclosing sensitive information.
- Pretexting attacks: Using a pretext or invented scenario to trick individuals into disclosing personal information, such as passwords, account numbers, or other confidential data.
- Quid pro quo attacks: Offering a desirable service or benefit in exchange for sensitive information or access
- Tailgating attacks: Physically following someone into a restricted area, or impersonating an employee to gain access to secure areas or information.
Directed attacks against specific targets are harder to detect.
For example, a typical spear phishing attack is a more directed form of phishing that is aimed at specific individuals or organizations. In a spear phishing attack, the attacker will first research the targeted victim or organization to gather information that will enable them to create a convincing message. The attacker may use various sources to obtain information about the target, including social media profiles, online resumes, or public records.
Once the attacker has gathered the necessary information, they will create a message that appears to be from a legitimate source that the target is familiar with, such as a colleague, supervisor, or business partner. The message will then contain information that is customized to the target to increase the chances of the target falling for the attack.
Among others, a spear phishing email to an employee of a company may appear to be from their supervisor, requesting sensitive information from the employee. The email may contain details that are specific to the employee’s job or department to make it appear more legitimate. The email may also use language that is often used by the supervisor in regular communications with the employee.
The goal of the attacker in a spear phishing attack is to trick the target into divulging sensitive information (such as login credentials or other personal details) or performing an action that is not in their best interest (such as downloading malware). It is important to always be cautious and verify the legitimacy of requests before providing sensitive information or performing any action.
Indicators
An indicator alone does not accurately determine fraudulent activity. You should evaluate the totality of the suspicious behavior and other relevant circumstances before notifying security/law enforcement personnel. The following suspicious activities/indicators include, but are not limited to any individual, group, or business; observe these indicators in context and not individually:
- Text messages or phone calls from unknown numbers claiming to be a coworker or executive within the company.
- Phone calls requesting credit card information or similar information as required information for our to confirm and receive the gift you just won.
- Strange text message from someone in your company or a supplier requesting unusual information r actions.
- Unusual requests in your social media from friends, family or contacts, trust but verify.
- Requests to purchase gift cards or similar tasks with no prior conversation between employee and individual claiming to be executive or coworker.
- Unknown phone numbers providing URLs via text and asking receiver to click on or forward to additional individuals.
- Phone calls from unknown numbers claiming to be someone from the company and attempts to solicit additional identifying information about the employee or company.
Preventive Measures
Simulated social engineering attacks can be a useful tool for organizations to raise awareness and train their employees on how to detect and respond to such attacks. By conducting simulated attacks, organizations can identify vulnerabilities in their security posture and provide targeted education and training for employees who may be susceptible to these types of attacks.
However, it’s important to note that simulated attacks are not a panacea for addressing social engineering threats. While they can help improve employee awareness and skills, they don’t guarantee that an organization will be immune from social engineering attacks in the future. Organizations must take a comprehensive approach to security, including implementing technical controls, policies and procedures, and ongoing education and training programs to help mitigate the risks posed by social engineering attacks.
Other Actions You Can Take
In addition to security awareness training there are also specific actions you can take to help prevent loss of information through social engineering.
- When you receive a suspected smishing message or phishing email, try to verify the identity of the person through official company channels or through your normal access methods for web sites prior to engaging with the sender.
- Beware of opening attachment in unsolicited emails containing photos or file attachments
- Don’t click or share anything in an unsolicited email or text message
- Be cautious about sharing any information about yourself, the company, or coworkers in a
phone call when you cannot verify the identity of the caller
On a Less Serious Note
Social engineering… Sounds like a fancy term doesn’t it? But don’t you worry, it’s just a fancy way of saying ‘tricking people to get what you want’!
Cyber attackers sure are a clever bunch though, they rely on human interaction and manipulation rather than just tech. They’ll do anything to get you to divulge your confidential information, or to perform actions that may not be in your best interest. I mean, phone scams? Physical theft? Come on guys, can’t you just stick to hacking?
But let’s get serious for a second. These attacks come in many forms, such as phishing emails or even phone scams, and attackers are using all sorts of tactics to get you to trust them. They’ll impersonate people, intimidate you or even pretend they’re in a position of authority. Sounds like high school all over again, am I right?
To avoid falling for these tricks, it’s essential to stay vigilant and be aware of the types of attacks that can occur. Always check the legitimacy of requests before giving out sensitive information or doing anything suspicious. And hey, if in doubt, just give ’em the old “I’m not falling for that one, buddy!”
Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the jokes. But seriously though, don’t fall for these tricks. And if you do, well, I guess it’s time to call it a day and go live on a deserted island somewhere. Just don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and your spam filter!