Cyberthreats 101: What Is Social Engineering?

Cyberthreats 101: What Is Social Engineering?

Cybersecurity experts are constantly developing hardware and software-based defensive measures. That makes systems much more challenging to breach by attacking these defenses directly or using brute force to obtain passwords. However, humans remain a core part of the cybersecurity equation, the part easiest to manipulate and exploit.

 

This article explores social engineering, the driving force behind almost every successful cyberattack. Find out what social engineering (SE) is, how to recognize it, and how to stop it. 

Social Engineering – What Is It & How Does It Work? 

Social engineering is a broad term for diverse manipulative tactics created to do just that. It capitalizes on fundamental aspects of our humanity – lack of awareness, curiosity, greed, compliance with orders from superiors, fear, courtesy, etc. – to bypass otherwise much more effective security systems.

Social engineering’s goals and lifecycle

While methods vary, all SE attacks have two things in common – one of two goals and a lifecycle they ideally follow. The goal of most SE attempts is to gain unlawful access to assets. These may include sensitive personal, financial, and medical data, intellectual property, login credentials, source code, and classified data. They may also trick victims into transferring money directly. The second goal is to disrupt normal operations, causing downtimes and damaging reputations.

 

Collecting information on the victims is the first step of any SE attack. The cyber crooks then initiate an interaction, hoping to establish trust and convince the victim to follow their instructions. If successful, they can execute the attack and accomplish their goals. The ideal SE attack concludes by disengaging from the target, leaving no trace behind.

What Are the Most Common Types of Social Engineering?

SE is frighteningly successful – a staggering 98% of all reported cyberattacks involve some form of it. These are the ones to watch out for.

Various types of phishing

Phishing is the most widespread form of SE, bar none. It mostly happens via email, but text (smishing) and voice messages (vishing) are also common. Phishing messages convey urgency and instill fear, making it more likely that the recipient will open a malicious attachment or click on a link that takes them to a fraudulent site. There, they're asked to put in their credentials, usually to resolve a supposed account issue. Those credentials are then exposed and can be used to execute further attacks.

 

Phishing emails can be sent en masse to catch careless recipients off guard. However, attackers can also meticulously research individual employees and target them with convincing messages (spear phishing and whaling).

Pretexting

A type of attack that uses a pretext to exploit the victim. It targets individuals, involves extensive research, and is often carried out through direct communication, either in person or via phone. Examples include a "law enforcement officer" asking for personal details that will supposedly help solve a case or someone impersonating a payroll vendor and needing access to employee records.

Scareware

An attack that bombards users with alarming messages when they visit a site or open a malware link. It claims their system is infected and tricks them into downloading “antimalware” to fix the problem while actually infecting their devices.

Watering hole attacks

These happen when well-known websites get compromised due to poor security. The attackers use these popular sites to redirect traffic to malicious ones. A prominent recent example involves Russian state-sponsored attacks on Mongolian government websites.

Tailgating and shoulder surfing

Not all SE attacks are digital. Tailgating involves following someone into their workplace and gaining unauthorized entry. From there, the infiltrator can spread malware, sabotage systems, etc. Shoulder surfing is when an attacker steals login credentials by directly observing the victim, usually in cafeterias, libraries, and communal open spaces.

How to Prevent Social Engineering?

Protection from SE attacks comes down to a combination of cyber awareness, building the right habits, and using the right tools.

 

Secure all your accounts by using a strong password and two-factor authentication. The former minimizes the damage in cases of breaches and credential theft, while the latter prevents logging on with compromised passwords alone. Use a password manager to streamline unique password creation and securely store as many as you need.

 

Never open attachments or click on links from emails that seem suspicious. Check whether their address corresponds to the supposed sender’s public one. Reach out for confirmation if you’re not sure, and pass the message along to the IT team.

 

Avoid using unsafe networks like public Wi-Fi, as they can be cloned and monitored. Always consider what is a VPN and how it can protect your data when you're unsure if a network is safe. A VPN's encrypted tunnel will provide protection from monitoring and data interception, while IP masking ensures your online privacy.

 

Be wary of what you share on social media and in online interactions. Even innocent-sounding details can expose your personal information, answers to security questions, passwords, etc.

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