Understanding and Combating Social Engineering

Social engineering is a technique used by cybercriminals to exploit the human element of security. Instead of trying to find software vulnerabilities, these criminals focus on manipulating individuals into revealing confidential information. The information sought can vary, but it often includes passwords, bank information, or access to computer systems.

Criminals use social engineering tactics because it’s usually easier to exploit people’s natural inclination to trust than it is to hack software. For example, it’s much easier to trick someone into giving away their password than to try hacking their password.

Recognizing Social Engineering Attacks
Social engineering attacks can take many forms, but they all involve some level of deception and manipulation. Here are some common examples:

Emails from a friend: If a criminal manages to hack or socially engineer someone’s email password, they can send emails to all the person’s contacts, potentially tricking them into revealing their information or downloading malicious software.

Emails from trusted sources: Phishing attacks often imitate trusted sources and create a seemingly logical scenario for handing over login credentials or other sensitive personal data.

Baiting scenarios: These schemes offer something that people want, such as a hot new movie or music download, to trick them into revealing their information or downloading malicious software.

Response to a question you never had: Criminals may pretend to be responding to your request for help from a company, using this as a pretext to trick you into revealing your information.

Creating distrust: Some forms of social engineering involve creating distrust or starting conflicts. This can be done by altering sensitive or private communications and forwarding these to other people to create drama, distrust, or embarrassment.

Protecting Yourself from Social Engineering
While social engineering attacks are rampant and can be highly effective, there are methods for protecting yourself. Most of these methods involve paying close attention to the details and being skeptical of unsolicited messages. Here are some tips:

Slow down: Spammers want you to act first and think later. If a message conveys a sense of urgency or uses high-pressure sales tactics, be skeptical.

Research the facts: Be suspicious of any unsolicited messages. If an email looks like it’s from a company you use, do your own research. Use a search engine to go to the real company’s site.

Don’t let a link control where you land: Stay in control by finding the website yourself using a search engine. Hovering over links in an email will show the actual URL at the bottom, but a good fake can still steer you wrong.

Beware of any download: If you don’t know the sender personally and expect a file from them, downloading anything is a mistake.

Foreign offers are fake: If you receive an email from a foreign lottery or sweepstakes, money from an unknown relative, or requests to transfer funds from a foreign country for a share of the money, it is guaranteed to be a scam.

IT GOAT: Your Partner in Cybersecurity
At IT GOAT, we understand the importance of cybersecurity and the role of education in preventing social engineering attacks. We provide a unique combination of expert security analysis and effective infosec execution. We take a reasonable and appropriate approach to risk management, helping organizations meet the high standards of due diligence required by various compliance regulations.

We believe that security should protect and support your organization’s mission, objectives, and obligations, as well as empower your outcomes. IT GOAT is a trusted risk and cybersecurity consulting firm, committed to improving your understanding of social engineering and providing strategies to combat it. We are ready to help you navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity.