The human element contributes something to almost every successful cyberattack. Occasionally, it even causes it. You have probably seen several similar headlines lately: people get hacked, according to these headlines:
Here’s another one:
And another one:
Amid the high-tech technological tools hackers now utilize, social engineering remains the primary threat that is still the most important driver behind hacking.
Cisco suggests that 90% of security breaches are the result of social engineering. Around 70% of attacks combine phishing and hacking, and the volume of phishing attacks is on the rise by as much as 400 annually.
Social engineering is the term for an attack vector that relies more on the mobilization of social engineering tactics than purely on computer-based means.
Social engineering is the act of manipulating people psychologically on a case-by-case basis to carry out a series of actions. In some instances, there’s also an intention of revealing confidential information or installing malicious software. There are many examples of blackmail via social engineering attacks:
By taking advantage of our innate preexisting biases, such as fear, familiarity, or a sense of urgency, attackers will disarm us and lower our guard. Social engineering attacks are designed for taking advantage of our:
Research revealed that we believe an authority figure no matter the reason. This is why so many swindlers pretend to be officials.
We have a tendency to trust people we already know or like. To take advantage of that, hackers may pretend to be our acquaintances.
When we think we are about to miss out on an opportunity to make life better, we tend to feel apprehensive. Fraudsters exploit the ensuing sense of urgency and scarcity to prey on our anxiety.
Violent individuals might use intimidation tactics to control their victims. Acts can range from screaming to submitting false reports about criminal activities to much worse plans.
But it is another trait that leads to security breaches. And in an organization environment, it’s more common among certain teams: a lack of knowledge. Specifically, being somewhat computer illiterate.
If you are not aware that what you’re doing is dangerous, it can create a false sense of safety that will make you more susceptible to spear phishing. That is why HR professionals and accountants are more likely to be spear-phishing victims than computer programmers.
The earliest known attempts to practice a psychological con date back to the times of criminal investigation. ILOVEYOU malware was one of the first malicious software programs to take advantage of social engineering and massive email spam campaigns. Unfortunately, we have yet to fully avoid online scams.
Altogether, 30% of email recipients open phishing emails, one pharmaceuticals study claims, and roughly 40% of workers admit to engaging in unsafe online behavior, such as clicking on suspicious links from their workstation or downloading questionable files.
Healthcare has been the hardest hit industry in the wake of security breaches, whose cost has taken over any other sector for a while now. Here are a couple of statistics that demonstrate that social engineering is such a danger:
Email is a primary vector for hacking, but it isn’t the only one. Here’s how hackers commonly operate:
You may be familiar with phishing and spear phishing, but that’s just the tip of a hacker’s social engineering toolbox. Here are some examples of attack vectors hackers commonly use:
A widespread attack that cajoles users into disclosing sensitive info
A targeted social engineering attack which is planned meticulously around one user
A Spear Phishing attackaimed at a celebrity or a high government official
Attackers impersonate a brand on social media in a DM conversation.
A fake website is placed at the top of the search results through ads or genuine SEO
Website pop-ups attempt to deceive or scare users into performing an action
A “too good to be true” offer directing to a fake or infected webpage
Crooks infiltrate unauthorized areas by posing as someone with access rights
Bad actors impersonate a brand or an authority figure to gain trust
The same as phishing, but done in voice calls or SMS messages respectively
A malware that uses scare tactics to make you install other malware
Links to compromised websites are delivered by email or with malicious ads
While some wellmeaning attacks are quite well designed, a vast majority of them are elementary in nature. And social engineering attempts can be discovered by examining suspicious acts like eagle eyes, in case you know what you are looking for. The problem is that most people aren t trained to do as such.
As per a report, 90% of companies do not give their employees appropriate cybersecurity training. These are the exact types of vulnerabilities that hackers take advantage of.
By extension, holding security training and spreading awareness of phishing is the best countermeasure. But here are a few additional ways organizations can boost security. A number of organizations can further improve security by using spam filters, managing enterprise-wide access to sensitive information, and checking suspicious files and links with Terraeagle security service.
About 1 out of every 100 emails that are sent consists of an attempt to phisher. You can use an anti-spam program to reduce the number of such mail messages that hit your inbox by approximately 85%.
Scammers typically target online systems to get unauthorized access. Two-step verification with multiple devices, even on additional ones, can stop them, unless they obtain access to a secondary authentication device.
Make sure there is stricter access control around data. Ensure that your user base does not simply circulate in if people can view it in some analytics software.
For instance, an email containing an unexpected charge should be verified before submitted.
Terraeagle security can automatically analyze any given file or link and let you know if it s malicious. Additionally, it uses this capability to view network activity and find out what information nefarious individuals are after and where they’ve been sending it to.
Poorly executed phishing campaigns will produce misspelled emails and bad grammar.
Did you receive a bill you didn’t anticipate at all? It’s probably fraudulent.
Check yourself for signs of FOMO or anxiety. Terrorists often rely on using pressure and intimidation to prompt you to wear down your defenses.
Then that’s probably the way it is. Proceed and check before you continue.
Social engineering is unlikely to ever stop. As honest individuals, we all have a tendency to trust what we see rather than suspect something is wrong around every corner. Terrorists know this too, and capitalize on our innocence in elaborate phishing campaigns.
It’s essential to take all proper safety precautions when browsing the web, on social media sites, and in e-mail attachments. Embrace good practices on the internet and looking out for suspicious files and links to protect yourself as much as possible from them. Toward that end, be sure to receive assistance from Terraeagle.
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