What is social engineering and how to protect yourself from it?

In today’s digital world, social engineering has become one of the main threats to the security of companies and users.

Unlike other types of cyberattacks that exploit technological vulnerabilities, social engineering focuses on manipulating people to gain access to sensitive information, passwords or valuable resources.

In this blog, we will explore what social engineering is, how it works and the best strategies to protect yourself from it.

What is social engineering?

Social engineering is a set of techniques used by cybercriminals to manipulate or deceive people in order to obtain confidential information, access systems or perform harmful actions.

Unlike traditional attacks that exploit software or hardware vulnerabilities, social engineering is based on exploiting human psychology, such as trust, curiosity or fear.

Social engineering attacks are so effective because they do not rely on technology, but on how people react to seemingly harmless situations.

Through methods such as phishing, pretexting or baiting, cybercriminals can manipulate victims into providing access to systems, personal data or money.

Most common types of social engineering

1. Phishing

Phishing is one of the most popular methods of social engineering and consists of sending fake emails or messages that appear to be from trusted sources, such as banks, companies or government institutions. These messages usually contain links that redirect to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information, such as passwords or bank details.

2. Spear Phishing

Unlike general phishing, spear phishing is targeted at a specific person or company, the attackers collect information about the victim (through social networks, emails, etc.) to create a highly personalized and convincing message, this type of attack is more difficult to detect because the victim does not suspect that it is a fraud.

3. Pretexting

In pretexting, the attacker creates a false story or pretext to obtain information from the victim, for example, he may impersonate a colleague, a service provider or an official entity and ask for sensitive information such as bank account numbers, passwords or personal data.

4. Baiting

Baiting involves offering something enticing, such as a free downloadable file or an online gift, with the goal of getting the victim to click on a link or download a malicious file, once the victim interacts with the «bait», malware is installed on their device or their credentials are stolen.

5. Impersonation

In this type of attack, the attacker poses as a trusted person, such as a boss, co-worker or business partner, the goal is to get the victim to follow instructions that involve performing a harmful action, such as transferring money or providing confidential information.

How to protect yourself from social engineering?

Although social engineering attacks are sophisticated, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself from them.

Here are some key recommendations:

1. Develop a safety culture

It is essential that both employees and users are informed about the risks of social engineering and how to identify warning signs, organize regular cybersecurity trainings, and foster a work environment where people feel comfortable alerting about potential attacks.

Verify sources of information

If you receive an email, message or call from a source requesting personal or financial information, always verify the authenticity, do not click on links or respond to messages without ensuring that they come from a reliable source, if in doubt, contact directly the company or person who is supposedly contacting you.

3. Do not share sensitive information by phone or e-mail.

Never share sensitive data, such as passwords or banking details, by phone or email, especially if you have not requested them, cybercriminals often use these ways to deceive victims and gain access to confidential information.

4. Uses two-factor authentication (2FA)

Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) on all your important accounts, this additional layer of security can protect you even if your credentials are compromised in a social engineering attack.

5. Keep your software up to date

Attackers often exploit vulnerabilities in software to execute their attacks. Always keep your operating system, applications and security programs up to date to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of an attack.

6. Be wary of offers that are too good to be true.

If you receive an offer that is too attractive, such as a free product or an exclusive promotion, be careful, cybercriminals use this type of «bait» to trick people into falling into their traps, before clicking or downloading something, do your research and make sure the offer is legitimate.

7. Use security solutions

Anti-virus and anti-malware tools can detect threats and block malicious links, so make sure your device has reliable and up-to-date security software.

Social engineering is a growing threat that exploits human weaknesses, not technological ones.

Cybercriminals take advantage of people’s trust, curiosity and fear to carry out their attacks.

To protect yourself from these risks, it is essential to be informed, to be skeptical of unsolicited requests, to use additional security measures and to foster a culture of cybersecurity in your company.

Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility, and only through education and caution can we avoid falling into the traps of social engineering.

We will be happy to help you keep your data safe and secure.

Image source: Social engineering attack | Freepik