All You Need To Know About Social Engineering And Its Attack Types

“World Bank Breach: Massive Cyberattack Exposes Millions To Data Theft”

You might have come across such headlines in the newspaper. These high-profile cybercrimes often target technical vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems. Yet, behind the scenes, most cyber incidents exploit a different weakness: the human element.

This is also known as social engineering, where attackers capitalize on human error. In fact, as per reports by Digital Commons, social engineering accounts for 98% of all cyber-attacks. This simply shows how cyber attackers are exploiting human vulnerabilities. Horrifying right?

Worry not because you are in the right place now! We’ll discuss everything about social engineering, so you can be prepared and cautious. However, before that, let’s understand the basics of social engineering.
 

What Is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is a trick used by cybercriminals to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information or granting access to personal systems. It's like a modern-day con game but played online or over phone calls and emails.

For example, a criminal pretends to be someone trustworthy, like a coworker or a company representative. They'll create a sense of urgency or play on your emotions to catch you off guard. They might send an email claiming there's a problem with your account that needs immediate attention.

If you fall for the ruse and share your login credentials or personal details, the criminal now has the keys to compromise your accounts, steal data or gain unauthorized access to networks.

Now, this is just one of the ways social engineering works. Let’s talk about the types of social engineering attacks to understand them better.
 

Types Of Social Engineering Attacks

 

• Phishing

  Phishing attacks aim to manipulate victims into revealing personal information or login credentials pretentiously. These social engineering scams often employ misleading links, a sense of urgency and fear tactics to get rapid responses. While phishing emails vary, they typically imitate legitimate sources to appear trustworthy.

  Beyond traditional email phishing, attackers may use spear phishing to target specific individuals or whaling focused on high-profile executives. They've also capitalized on the rise of SaaS platforms such as Microsoft 365, sending fake emails claiming account issues requiring password resets or immediate attention and sending users to malicious sites. Be wary of emails or messages requesting personal data or login details, even if they seem legitimate!

• Pretexting

  Pretexting is another social engineering tactic where attackers fabricate scenarios to deceive victims into divulging personal information. Scammers often impersonate trusted entities or individuals, claiming they need specific details to confirm the victim's identity. (Remember how we asked you for your credit card details earlier – but you passed the test!) If successful, the attacker can commit identity theft or engage in other malicious activities using the obtained data.

  More advanced pretexting involves tricking victims into avoiding organizational security policies. Attackers may pose as authority figures, such as law enforcement or talent scouts, creating plausible contexts to extract sensitive information from unsuspecting targets. They exploit the inherent trust associated with their assumed roles, making victims hesitant to question or challenge their requests, even when something seems fishy. Next time you see something fishy, don't shy away from checking their credentials and resources.

• Business Email Compromise

  Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a clever social engineering attack where scammers impersonate high-level executives to trick employees into performing fraudulent financial transactions or sharing sensitive data. Attackers carefully study an executive's communication style and create a spoofed email account mimicking their identity. They then send requests to subordinates, such as initiating wire transfers or changing banking details, exploiting the inherent trust and authority associated with the impersonated role.

  Unlike typical cyber-attacks, BEC does not rely on malware or malicious links, making it harder to detect through traditional cybersecurity measures. Instead, these scams target human behavior, which can be challenging to monitor, especially in large organizations. Be careful about the requests, even if they seem to come from your bosses!

   

• Quid Pro Quo

  Quid pro quo translates to “a favor for a favor.” It is a type of social engineering scam where attackers offer a desirable service or benefit in exchange for sensitive information from the victim. The attacker impersonates a legitimate entity, such as an IT support technician or a government agency. They contact the victim, offering to resolve a common issue or provide a free service, such as speeding up the internet, extending a trial or even offering gift cards.

  However, the catch is that the victim needs to create an account or provide login credentials to avail the promised benefit. Once the attacker obtains this sensitive information, they can misuse it to gain unauthorized access or sell it on the dark web for a profit.

• Smishing And Vishing

  Smishing refers to phishing attempts conducted via SMS text messages. Scammers use spoofed phone numbers to send bulk messages containing malicious links. When victims click these links, they may be directed to fake websites designed to steal credentials or trick them into downloading malware onto their mobile devices. As people increasingly rely on smartphones, smishing has become a prevalent social engineering tactic.

  Vishing or voice phishing involves scammers impersonating legitimate entities over phone calls. In business contexts, attackers may contact employees pretending to be executives, IT staff or service providers, using various pretexts to extract sensitive information like passwords or personal details. You see, phishing is no longer limited to emails or websites!

• Watering Hole Attacks

  Coming from the phrase, "somebody poisoned the watering hole", this attack is a specific kind of social engineering attack where hackers identify websites that are popular among a specific group, such as employees of a particular company. Then, inject malicious code or create a fake version of the website to trick visitors.

  When targets visit the compromised site, they may inadvertently download malware or be redirected to a fake login page designed to steal their credentials. The attacker can then use the stolen information to breach the target's network or install backdoor access. Thanks for making TechDogs your favorite site when it comes to the latest technology trends and news but be cautious if it asks you to log in again or redirects you to a duplicate site.

 
On that cautionary note, let’s conclude this article!
 

In The End

You see, these social engineering attacks take advantage of human weaknesses and emotions. They trick people into sharing private information or doing harmful things. To stay safe, it's important to be careful and doubtful of unexpected requests, even if they seem real. You should always double-check before giving out personal details online or even on calls.

Being cautious and having proper knowledge about its types can protect us from these sneaky attacks!