Cyberattacks have become so advanced and sophisticated that you won’t realize you are a victim until you have been exploited. Cyber attackers today use various tactics to lure victims and cause harm. While technical exploits such as data breaches always grab the headlines, social engineering attacks are something more prevalent and concerning that normal individuals need to be aware of. Social engineering attacks leverage human emotions, psychology, and trust to trick victims into performing tasks that can lead to compromising information or granting access to sensitive resources. If you are looking to get into a cybersecurity career, then you must be updated with these latest attack tactics.
In this article, lets us understand different types of social engineering attacks and some most common social engineering tactics that attackers employ.
1. Phishing
Phishing can be appropriately titled as the granddaddy of all social engineering attacks. Phishing emails will appear so genuine and legitimate from various sources including banks, credit card companies, and social media platforms, that you will hardly find it to be fake. These phishing emails work on the simple principle of inducing urgency among users or exploiting curiosity where the users click some sort of malicious links and attachments which ultimately leads to stolen data, malware on their device, or a fake login page where credentials are accessed.
2. Spear Phishing
While phishing emails are more generalized and can be sent to a huge number of users at once, spear phishing is a highly personalized phishing email crafted specifically for one individual in an organization. Attackers will gather all the information related to the target from their social media profiles, data breaches, or malware. This information is then used to create highly personalized email content that successfully gain’s recipient’s trust and increases the chances of them becoming a victim.
3. Whaling
In this type of social engineering attack, the top executives and key decision-makers within the organizations are targeted. Whaling emails often impersonate CEOs, board members and other authoritative figures and try to lure targets to authorize fraudulent transactions, disclose confidential information, or do something else that only higher authorities can do.
4. Smishing and vishing
This refers to attacks done using SMS and voice calls and is similar to that of email phishing attacks. In smishing, the attackers will include malicious links in SMS to trick the victim into revealing sensitive information whereas in vishing attacks, the calls will often create a sense of urgency or panic and pressurize the targets to take immediate action that might incur huge losses.
5. Baiting
In this attack, cybercriminals will make false promises to targets and make them perform tasks or share information that can lead to data or financial losses. Baits are often laid in the form of online ads and promotions, for example, free games, mobile upgrades, etc.
For instance, the victim will use their username and password to claim the offer (bait). And hackers believe the victim uses the same username and password for their other legitimate accounts.
6. Piggybacking and Tailgating
These physical security breaches exploit physical access controls. For example, in piggybacking, the attacker closely follows behind the genuine user to gain entry into a secured area. In tailgating, the attacker will start a conversation with a genuine user who has access to a restricted area, and then slip in behind them as they enter.
They may impersonate delivery boys and may ask you to hold the door as they enter or grant them access to deliver the product and enter the restricted area.
7. Pretexting
It is a form of social engineering attack where the attackers create plausible scenarios (pretexts) and lure victims to share confidential information. The pretexts are created to convince and gain the victim’s trust to extract information. You can find the attackers impersonating themselves as customer service representatives, or law enforcement officials, or posing as vulnerable individuals seeking help.
Prevention Tips
Social engineering attacks are constantly evolving, and you must update yourself about the latest attack tactics to prevent falling victim. Here are some tips to protect yourself:
- Be cautious with the emails and messages you receive. Verify the sender and legitimacy before taking any action.
- If something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Beware of unsolicited offers.
- Always verify the information you receive in email from the sender directly and confirm its legitimacy.
- Always use strong passwords and different passwords for all accounts
- Keep yourself updated about the latest attack tactics.
The cybersecurity field is very interesting. If you also find this domain fascinating, then you can opt for a career in cybersecurity. Here you can contribute your cybersecurity skills, knowledge, and expertise to protect organizations, increase cybersecurity awareness in the world, and help combat cyber attackers from the front. So, enroll in the best cybersecurity certification programs and get started with your career.
Conclusion
Social engineering attacks are a constant form of cyber threat that always looms over innocent citizens and employees. By understanding the above-mentioned social engineering tactics and taking proactive measures, they can protect themselves and their organizations from such attacks and minimize damage.