Social Engineering 101

Social engineering is a tactic used by cyber attackers to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information, performing actions, or providing access to sensitive systems or data. Unlike traditional cyber attacks that exploit technical vulnerabilities, social engineering relies on psychological manipulation and deception to exploit human behavior, trust, and natural tendencies to comply with requests.

Common techniques used in social engineering attacks include:

• Phishing: Sending fraudulent emails, messages, or websites that appear legitimate to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or financial data.
• Pretexting: Creating a false pretext or scenario to gain someone’s trust and convince them to divulge information or perform actions they wouldn’t otherwise do.
• Baiting: Offering something enticing, such as a free download or prize, to lure individuals into clicking on malicious links or opening infected files.
• Tailgating: Physically following someone into a secure area or gaining unauthorized access to a facility by posing as an authorized individual.
• Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else, such as a trusted colleague, authority figure, or customer service representative, to gain access to sensitive information or resources.

Social engineering attacks can be highly effective because they exploit human psychology and exploit inherent trust relationships. Mitigating the risk of social engineering requires ongoing user education and awareness training, implementing security policies and procedures, and implementing technical controls such as email filtering and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access and protect against social engineering attacks.

What is Vishing?

I know many people don’t know about the word vishing. Vishing, short for “voice phishing,” is a form of social engineering attack conducted over the phone. In vishing attacks, cyber attackers use phone calls or voice messages to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification details.

During a vishing attack, the attacker may impersonate a trusted entity, such as a bank representative, government official, or IT support technician, and use persuasive tactics to manipulate the victim into disclosing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.

Common vishing scenarios include:

1. Fake Customer Support Calls: Attackers impersonate customer service representatives from banks, credit card companies, or technology companies and request sensitive information or login credentials under the guise of assisting with account issues.
2. Phony Threats or Scare Tactics: Attackers claim to be law enforcement officers, government officials, or representatives from regulatory agencies and threaten legal action or penalties unless the victim provides personal information or pays a fine.
3. Fake Prize or Sweepstakes Notifications: Attackers inform victims that they have won a prize or lottery and request payment or personal information to claim the prize.

To protect against vishing attacks, individuals should be cautious when receiving unsolicited phone calls, especially if the caller requests sensitive information or exerts pressure to act quickly. It’s essential to verify the identity of the caller by independently contacting the organization using a trusted phone number listed on their official website or documents. Additionally, organizations can implement measures such as employee training, call authentication protocols, and voice recognition systems to detect and mitigate vishing attacks.