Introduction: What is Social Engineering?
Social engineering is the act of manipulating people into performing actions or providing confidential information.
The reasons for social engineering can be varied, but often involve a hacker’s attempt to gain information such as passwords, usernames, and credit card numbers.
Types of Social Engineering Attacks
There are many types of social engineering attacks that are used by hackers to gain access.
There are three main types of social engineering attacks: phishing, vishing, and smashing.
Phishing
Phishing is done in the form of email or text messages. Phishing is the use of a fake webpage in an email or text message to collect sensitive information from individuals.
The page poses as a legitimate one, such as a bank or online shopping site, and asks for personal information. This can be anything from a username and password to credit card numbers.
This practice has been around since the 1990s, but it is still prevalent in today’s digital world because it’s not difficult for hackers to create a website that looks real.
Vishing
Vishing is also called voice phishing and it’s when the hacker calls you on the phone.
The hacker will call you and pretend to be someone they are not, like your bank or credit card company, in an attempt to get your personal information.
Smishing
Smishing is when the hacker sends you a text message to get your information. Smishing is a term used for a new form of malware, which is when the hacker sends you a text message to get your information.
An example of smishing is when the hacker sends you a text message with an attachment that has malware or phishing software. The hacker may also ask you to reply back to the message with your personal information in return for something.
Most Common – Spear Phishing
A common type of social engineering attack is spear phishing where hackers send out emails that impersonate someone trustworthy like your employer or bank to try and get you to give up personal information like your password or bank account numbers.
Social Engineering in the Workplace
It is not just hackers who pose a security threat to the workplace. Employees can also mistakenly or intentionally leak company information to outsiders, or provide sensitive information to an individual with malicious intent.
Social Engineering is the act of manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. It’s a type of confidence trick for the purpose of gathering personal information, financial data, or access credentials through manipulation.
How to protect yourself from Social Engineering attacks?
The first step to protecting yourself from social engineering attacks is to be skeptical and alert all the time. These small steps can help you avoid getting hacked:
– Never click on unsolicited links or attachments.
– Don’t open documents sent by unknown sources.
– Use strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone else.
Social Engineering in the Digital Age
Social engineering has never been more powerful than in the digital era. The internet provides an anonymous space for people to be empowered with skills that may not exist in the real world. This anonymity is what gives social engineers the power to manipulate people.
The digital age has made it easier for hackers to manipulate people into revealing their confidential information, or into giving up their passwords.
Conclusion:
This is why you should be concerned about social engineering attacks. The damage they can do is huge and irreversible. Some of the most common forms of social engineering attacks are phishing schemes and ransomware attempts.
