No, social engineering isn’t some noteworthy tech job or college degree. It’s actually an incredibly devastating method deployed by cybercriminals that could severely hurt your business, employees, and customers. Vector Security Networks is here to help you better understand social engineering, its different types, and what you can do as a business to protect your assets.
What is Social Engineering?
Social engineering is the practice of hackers manipulating people and exploiting vulnerabilities to gain access to data or sensitive information.
We often see cybercriminals portrayed in movies using elaborate plans and sophisticated technologies to infiltrate a network and steal sensitive information. However, in real life, most cybercriminals are much more subtle and cunning. They don’t need top-grade cyber technology to get what they want. 82% of cyber attacks involve a human element. All they need is a person and a few suave lines to garner their attention or trust.
So what is a common method used in social engineering? Well, most criminals manipulate people to their advantage. They often portray themselves as someone trustworthy, such as a person from a non-profit looking for charitable donations, or a business executive at a company that needs sensitive information urgently. Their primary tactic is deceit, and some are so effective at it that victims might not even know they compromised information.
Types of Social Engineering Attacks
There are multiple ways cybercriminals can use social engineering attacks to target their victims. Although the types of attacks are different, at the core of each one is manipulation. We will dive into further detail below:
Pretexting
These attacks involve fake personas to trick their target. For instance, criminals could pose as someone that works in the IT department at your company. They can send you a link to update your password. And when you put in your information, they have your login credentials. Pretexting can happen via text, email, and phone. The key here is to establish a sense of trust with their victims before stealing information.
Phishing
Phishing is among the most common social engineering method, and there are many different ways cybercriminals can approach it. For a more in-depth guide, check out our phishing article. The majority of phishing attacks occur via email or text. The key difference from pretexting is phishing often contains malware-infected links or attachments that immediately infect your device whenever clicked. Attackers often create a sense of urgency, so you feel more inclined to take the bait.
Tailgating
Up until now, we have only discussed social engineering attacks that happen remotely. However, tailgating involves criminals following individuals to gain physical access to restricted areas at a company or office. They could pose as delivery drivers or fellow employees who don’t have their key cards. Once inside, they can spy on workers, secretly steal information, and infect servers with malware. With this tactic in mind, don’t be so keen on letting an unfamiliar face into a restricted part of your office.
Baiting
Baiting involves offering the victim something in return if they click a link or give up information. For instance, a pop-up ad that emulates a free popular game could trick someone into clicking/downloading it. A scammer could also agree to trade an important file with you if you agree to give over some information first. Baiting scams can even be physical. Someone could deliver a malware-infected USB drive “titled Q4 data reports,” making you believe it was the actual file.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Business
No matter the business or industry, cybercriminals can target your operations and cause serious damage to both your company’s reputation and finances. Business leaders should never underestimate the threat. Educating employees on the ways to spot a scammer can be beneficial for them both inside and outside the workplace.
The best way employees can protect themselves is to always be caution when receiving emails, phone calls, or texts from unknown numbers or individuals outside the organization. A strong workplace policy of “report if you’re unsure” can mitigate the threats of an information breach or on-site physical breach.
Businesses can also install spam filters that eliminate most of the potentially harmful material before it ever reaches employees. Likewise, video surveillance and access control systems will help deter any on-site attacks and limit inside access if a breach occurs.
Additionally, partnering with a cybersecurity expert is incredibly effective at staying ahead of the cybercriminals and mitigating damage if a breach occurs. At Vector Security Networks, we can monitor your network 24/7 and alert you when there’s an emergency. By monitoring your business for you, you can focus on growing and expanding while keeping your employees, customers, and reputation protected. If you would like to learn more, feel free to contact us today.
