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Fortify Your Defenses Against Social Engineering

Strengthen Your Cyber Defenses

Social engineering is a manipulative tactic that cybercriminals use to obtain confidential or personal information by exploiting people's trust.

By pretending to be someone else or something familiar, attackers trick victims into revealing sensitive data or compromising security. Being aware and educated on the signs can help prevent these attacks.

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4. 0 Million
Global average cost of a data breach in 2023

Question & Answer

Just What is Social Engineering?

  • What exactly is social engineering in the context of cybersecurity

    Social engineering in cybersecurity refers to the tactics used by cybercriminals to manipulate individuals into sharing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. This is achieved not through technical hacking, but by exploiting human psychology and trust, such as impersonating a trusted individual or authority to deceive victims into divulging sensitive data or granting access to secure systems

  • How can social engineering attacks impact my business?

    Social engineering attacks can have severe consequences for businesses, including financial loss, data breaches, and damage to reputation. These attacks often lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, like customer data or trade secrets, and can even result in compliance violations if regulatory data is compromised. The trust of customers and partners can also be significantly undermined if they become victims of these attacks through your business.

  • What are common types of social engineering attacks?

    Common types include phishing, where attackers send fraudulent emails or messages appearing to be from reputable sources to steal sensitive data; pretexting, where attackers fabricate scenarios to obtain information; baiting, which involves offering something enticing to install malicious software; and tailgating, where unauthorized persons physically follow authorized persons into restricted areas.

  • How can my business protect itself from social engineering attacks?

    Protecting your business involves a combination of technical measures and employee education. Implement strong security policies, use up-to-date antivirus and anti-phishing tools, and regularly back up data. Most importantly, educate your employees about these types of attacks. Regular training sessions on recognizing and responding to social engineering tactics are crucial. Encourage a culture of security awareness and ensure staff members know how to report suspicious activities.

Who is a Potential Target?

The target of any social engineering attack relies on the threat actors’ goal. If they are looking to only gain credentials, then they may target anyone in the company.

However, more often you will see targeted spear phishing, or whaling attacks against department heads like the VP of Finance or executives like the CEO or CFO.

The threat actors are not shy about sending millions of emails to people at one time. All that is needed for a successful campaign is for one or two of those emails to be clicked on.

You can consider your business breached as soon as a user clicks a malicious link – regardless of how much money was invested into tools.

Three Basic Types of Tactics

In-Person

Attackers might pretend to be trusted staff or maintenance workers to gain physical access and cause a security threat or steal sensitive information via face-to-face interaction.

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Phone

Vishing involves impostors making phone calls to impersonate trusted personnel, exploiting fear to coerce individuals into revealing sensitive personal or corporate information.

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Digital

Phishing employs deceptive emails to fraudulently acquire sensitive data, whereas spear phishing tailors highly personalized messages to exploit specific individuals effectively.

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Social Engineering Tactics

In-Person Attacks

Here are a few common tactics used to gain access, gather secure information and plant devices that you should be aware of.

Open Door

When you leave a door open at your company and someone slips through

The Cable Guy

When someone pretends to be a service technician (cable, phone electrician etc.) of some kind to gain access to your business.

Bar Hopping

When someone buys you drinks to extract information from you as you become drunk. Some people tend to talk more when drinking.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

When someone mirrors your body language, voice and vocabulary to build a connection on a subconscious level.

Six Degrees of Separation

When someone learns about your social practices and uses social relationships to gain your trust.

Device Leave Behind

When someone leaves a device laying around that tempts others to plu-in and open. Like a flash drive, phone etc.

Open Access

When someone uses or requests to use your computer for whatever reason and they're left unmonitored.

Rouge Employee

When a malicious employee is hired with the purpose of gaining on-site access.

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Ensure your business is secure from cybercrime by identifying and addressing system vulnerabilities before they are exploited by hackers.

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Social Engineering Tactics

Phone Attacks

Here are a few common tactics used to gain access, gather secure information and plant devices that you should be aware of.

Panic

When someone calls you pretending to be support and provides a frantic scenario that compromises your safety.

Donantions

When someone calls you pretending they are someone from a known organization you might be interested in.

Anger

When someone calls you pretending they are in a position of authority and uses anger to intimidate.

Vishing

When someone calls you with a pre-recorded message pretending to be your bank and asks you to confirm your account.

The cybersecurity industry is growing more complex every day, and it's more important than ever to make sure your business is protected from risks and regulatory intervention.

Social Engineering Tactics

Digital Attacks

Here are a few common tactics used to gain access, gather secure information and plant devices that you should be aware of.

Pretexting

When someone sends you an email with a domain that looks trustworthy and addresses it from a known contact from that domain.

Phishing

When someone publishes a fake website that mimics a brand and service to gain your trust. These websites will request information through forms and offer downloads containing malware.

Social Media Phishing

When someone builds a social media page that mimics a trusted brand. The account will try to publish relevant content that persuades your to click an download a malicious file.

Reverse Engineering

When someone executes a minor attack on your company to expose a vulnerability, then contacts you to inform you and offer to "fix" the problem.

Typosquatting

When someones uses common typos for brand URLs and mimics the brand to gain trust. The fake website can easily collect form information if the type is not noticed.

Friendly Emails

When someone sends you an email either from a hacked friend's account or creates a similar account and uses your friend's name. Often there is an attachment that contains malware.