What Is The Essence Of Social Engineering?
A hacker can get the necessary data in two ways. either he steals this information, or the victim voluntarily gives him this data. The second occasion seems more interesting, doesn’t it? This is where social engineering helps. Let’s look into the details.
What is the essence of social engineering?
Microsoft believes that hackers are using social engineering with malicious intent. Cyber scammers steal your data by playing with your emotions, feelings, your trust. This is a very mean, hypocritical and ethically ugly game. What do hackers want from users in this case?
1️⃣ First, they want to receive this or that information.
2️⃣ Secondly, hackers thus download spyware, and malware onto the victim’s computer.
The purpose of such software is also to obtain the necessary information (for example, insurance numbers, bank account data, credit cards, etc.). Social engineering is hard work. However, the efficiency of this method is very high. With the help of social engineering, scammers steal money and personal data from people.
Examples of social engineering
Cybercriminals can get whatever they want through social engineering. This method is based on deceit. This allows criminals to achieve their goals. Are there examples of social engineering? A concrete example from real life is better than a theory. Therefore, let’s look at a few such examples that are worth paying attention to. So, we talked about the various tricks that cybercriminals use. Here are some – the most common – of them:
📌 Fake emails or contacts of acquaintances, friends, and relatives. So, if a hacker suddenly got access to your email, he also probably got access to your contacts at the same time. Remember all those examples of social media profile hacks? The first thing the scammer does, in this case, is to start a dialogue with the user’s contacts. For example, to extort money. Messages and letters are sent on behalf of the user, inspiring people’s trust. Such letters may contain requests to upload a photo, video, or file. The hacker may ask you to open the link. As you may have guessed, if you download a file or open a link, it will automatically download spyware to your device.
📌 Phishing. This is also a very popular way to force the victim to voluntarily give up their data or download malware onto the computer. What is phishing? We have already told you that sometimes you can receive emails purporting to be from your bank or other well-known companies. This is also a social engineering technique. The letters you receive seem very believable.
Imagine that you received a message from a bank. However, if you look closely, you will see that there is a difference in the website address or email address, such as your bank. That is, the scammer is trying to make these letters as realistic as possible. But you should know: that your bank will never ask you for bank account numbers, credit cards, insurance numbers, etc. The bank never checks the information remotely. Also, be careful not to open the links you receive in such emails. The link leads to a site that is very similar, for example, to the site of your bank. However, the main purpose of such a site is to get data from you.
📌 Unsolicited requests. Social engineering and its techniques always affect people’s emotions. So-called unsolicited emails come from strangers, as well as hacked accounts of your friends or relatives. As a rule, hackers urgently ask you for money or some kind of help. Very often scammers require you to transfer money to a bank account.
How not to fall for the tricks of cyber scammers?
The most important part of our conversation is useful tips on how not to fall for the tricks of cyber scammers. Yes, social engineering is a popular, effective technique for cyber criminals. Users become victims because hackers appeal to their emotions, and play with confidence. Whom do we trust the most? Friends, relatives, famous companies or brands – those who have a good reputation.
Useful tips for protecting against hackers
However, there are always some points that help us understand that we are dealing with a scammer, for example:
1️⃣ First, always check what you’re uploading, even if you’re uploading files that came from your friends or family’s emails. If you are careful not to download everything you receive in email, then you are protecting yourself from spyware.
2️⃣ Second, look at how the messages you receive are worded. Your friends, acquaintances, and relatives probably have their styles. This will help you understand who the real author of the received message is.
3️⃣ Third, you must not disclose personal information via email. If someone asks you to confirm your bank account details, insurance number, etc., do not answer. Remember: neither the bank nor other official companies, nor their representatives will ask you for such data. After all, this is confidential information.
4️⃣ Fourth, you must be careful when clicking on links. It’s better not to do this, of course, since you already know about phishing. If you still want to go to the site, for example, of a bank and check everything, then enter the address of the bank’s website in the address bar of your browser manually. This will be much safer.
5️⃣ Fifth, be careful with messages asking for help or money. As a rule, such letters are fake. If you still have doubts, then call your friends, acquaintances and relatives back to clarify the problem personally.
To sum up: social engineering focuses on human nature. We are emotional, we need feelings, for trust. And scammers often play with our emotions. All this makes cybersecurity even more relevant.
Summary:
Social engineering is the use of psychological manipulation or influence to influence individuals or groups to divulge sensitive information or perform actions that may not be in their best interest. It is a common tactic used by hackers and cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information or systems. There are several types of social engineering attacks, including phishing scams, pretexting, baiting, and scareware. These attacks often rely on tricking people into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial information, or into performing actions, such as clicking on a malicious link.
It is important to be aware of social engineering tactics and to take steps to protect yourself and your organization from these types of attacks. This can include being cautious about revealing sensitive information, being skeptical of unsolicited requests for information, and verifying the authenticity of emails and other communications before responding. Additionally, it is important for organizations to educate their employees about social engineering and to implement strong security measures to protect against these types of attacks.
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