When you say the word “cyberattack,” most businesses automatically relate it to the aftermath of high-profile security breaches like ransomware or denial of service (DoS) attacks. Those immensely disruptive attacks can lead to organizations halting overnight and causing irreparable damage to their systems and reputation.
If you think of the severity of these types of threats, it can be easy to assume that the methods being used to carry them out have the same aggressive nature. However, the reality is that subtle but progressive social engineering attacks account for 73% of all successful breaches.
As a business, it’s important to recognize how cybercriminals are using social engineering to build a foundation for their attacks and how you and your employees can avoid them.
Breaking Down the Psychology Behind Social Engineering
Cybercriminals play on the principles of human psychology when trying to gain helpful information that enables them to carry out attacks. Below are some of the common ways social engineering helps them to achieve this:
- Impersonating Authority Figures -.The majority of people are taught from a young age to listen and respect authority figures. This could include law enforcement, city officials, legal teams, or other similar roles. Cybercriminals often pose as these types of individuals to make people stop and think about what they’re reading and make them more likely to respond.
- Leveraging the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) – FOMO, or “Fear of Missing Out,” is a powerful motivator that even businesses use in their marketing campaigns to inspire users to act. Cybercriminals target this feeling by creating malicious emails with promises of heavy discounts or free items by simply clicking on a link or filling in a survey. They leverage an individual’s tendency to make quicker decisions without thinking them through, giving them an opportunity to steal their financial data or collect other valuable information.
- Playing On Feelings of Reciprocity – This feeling of reciprocity is a natural response that most individuals have. Cybercriminals also know this and will often try to build rapport with their victims ahead of time through emails or other correspondence. They may provide smaller acts of kindness to help gain more trust, trying to lower someone’s guard, making it easier to influence their behavior down the road.
Common Social Engineering Tactics Cybercriminals Use
Not all social engineering tactics are the same, and cybercriminals can use various methods to try to manipulate their targets. Below are some of the common tactics used:
Pretexting
Pretexting is used to help cybercriminals establish rapport with their intended victims by crafting a believable story. It is designed to add credibility to any of their claims or make it less evident that they have malicious intent when they inevitably request something from you.
For example, a common pretexting tactic used is when cybercriminals pose as banking representatives who want to notify you of a “critical problem with your account.” Posing as someone who works with a credible company helps them sell their story to you and makes you more likely to hand over account details in an effort to fix the problem.
Quid Pro Quo
Quid pro quo engineering tactics are designed around the concept “something for something.” This means that by offering you some type of helpful advice or solving a problem, you’ll be more likely to listen to what they have to say or engage with them further.
A common quid pro quo strategy cybercriminals use is calling unsuspecting victims posing as IT professionals. They may mention that they’re trying to fix a problem that’s showing up on the potential victim’s computer or that they just implemented a solution that doesn’t actually exist. The goal is to source out individuals who aren’t overly technical and won’t be able to validate their claims.
Baiting
One of the most commonly used social engineering tactics is baiting. While baiting can be carried out in several different ways, unsolicited emails are typically the distribution method of choice.
Cybercriminals will use these correspondences to attack malicious links or files in the hopes that unsuspecting victims will open them. Once this happens, it can automatically install viruses or launch malicious scripts that can give criminals access to connected networks or systems.
Practical Tips for Avoiding Social Engineering Attempts
Be Careful Who You Trust
In business, a healthy level of skepticism is not only acceptable, it’s essential. Take your time when making decisions, particularly when dealing with unsolicited emails or unfamiliar contacts.
Exercise caution when visiting unknown websites or downloading files from unverified sources. By maintaining a discerning approach and not extending trust indiscriminately, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to common social engineering tactics.
Keep Your Teams Educated
When it comes to cybersecurity awareness, it’s critical to keep your teams educated on the dangers the company faces every day. Since your employees are often your first line of defense, it’s important that they’re trained to spot social engineering attempts and how to avoid them.
In addition to security training, employees should also be trained on how to safely and ethically use AI tools or platforms to protect not only their data privacy but also customers.
Implement Proactive Security Controls
One of the most impactful strategies for avoiding social engineering attempts is investing in proactive security controls and processes. Intelligent threat monitoring solutions, firewalls, and email filters can help reduce the amount of spam communications your business receives and make it less likely that employees will unknowingly compromise security.
Another proactive measure you can take is to engage in penetration testing services to stress test your current security systems and evaluate how skilled your employees are at spotting social engineering attempts. These services can be invaluable in helping you spot hidden vulnerabilities in your business while giving you the time to address them before real criminals exploit them.
Limit Your Business Exposure
Every year, cybercriminals get more creative when launching new social engineering schemes. By keeping your business aware of these tactics and implementing the necessary security protocols to avoid them, you’ll significantly lower your attack risks and create a more resilient cybersecurity posture.
Nazy Fouladirad is the President and COO of Tevora, a global leading cybersecurity consultancy. She has dedicated her career to creating a more secure business and online environment for organizations across the country and the world. She is passionate about serving her community and acts as a board member for a local nonprofit organization.
The opinions expressed in this post belong to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.