Cybercrime is constantly evolving just as fast as the technology to fight it. It is a concern that needs to be under constant watch and social engineering is at the top of that watch list.
98% of cybercrime attacks have involved social engineering as of 2019. That is why it is of the utmost importance for you to answer the question, what is social engineering.
What Is Social Engineering
A Social Engineering attack looks to arrive at the same goal as what you would consider a standard hacker’s attack.
A hacker works with the weaknesses in the software programs that are running on computer systems while someone using methods of social engineering works on the behaviors of people themselves.
It’s the art of three actions:
- Influencing
- Manipulating
- Deceiving
These actions are done through, primarily, five methods
Baiting
Done with left behind physical devices such as a USB stick, the attacker hopes for a user to explore the drive and open whatever may be on it.
The documents or programs often labeled in such a way to be particularly enticing.
A malware program is run and sensitive information at that point is obtained by the attacker.
Phishing and Vishing
An attacker will be sending out emails posing as an important, legitimate organization needing to obtain secure information, often to help with a crime.
To raise a concern and the desire to help a link is clicked and the user is led to a fake site.
Vishing is a similar attack but done over the phone. A system is set up imitating the automated voice menu system that many businesses use.
Quid Pro Quo
The most common is an attacker imitating a support specialist. To provide the support they will need login information amongst, potentially, other security info.
This allows access and control to the machine.
Pretexting
This is the use of a hook, a story that ends with the reader providing personal information. The emails that claim that you are receiving large sums of money are a prime example.
Usage of this method has become extremely common and very successful.
Tailgating
An in-person impersonation to be allowed access to secured areas. These are often behind access points blocked by RFID and the likes.
What Can I Do to Protect From An Attack
Just as there are many types of attacks that can be launched to obtain secure information from workers and business systems there are methods to fight back against them.
What is The Primary Countermeasure To Social Engineering
Above all else, education. It has been found that proper education and proper best practices for both the IT team as well as all workers within the business.
This is even more important than any security software or hardware that you will have at your disposal. A criminal can find a way around eventually if a worker does not recognize a threat.
They need to understand email structure and interaction with “support” teams and the red flags that would be raised and what to look out for.
Here is a quick reference that can help with particular situations that your team may run into while working.
Protect Against A Social Engineering Attack
Now that you’ve answered what is social engineering and what purpose it serves in the digital world you are better prepared to defend against malicious individuals.
To add yet another level of security, review the services that we can offer with managed web security services. Allow the concern of a cyber attack to be lifted from your shoulders with our expert support and defense.
Pegasus Technologies is the IT Team for organizations that don’t need a full-time IT department. Our technology experts build you a technology plan to keep your business running at its best. We have offices in Kennett Square, PA, Media, PA, and Wayne, PA to provide better computer support and IT services to you.
