Social engineering

Suggested IT Security Resources

Social Engineering

Social engineering is the term used for a broad range of malicious activities accomplished through human interactions. It uses psychological manipulation to trick users into making security mistakes or giving away sensitive information.

For a simple social engineering example, a cybercriminal impersonates an IT professional and requests your login information to patch up a security flaw on your device. If you provide the information, you’ve just handed a malicious individual the keys to your account and they didn’t even have to go to the trouble of hacking your email or computer to do it.

Some signs to watch out for 

• Your “friend” sends you a strange message
• The request is urgent
• The offer feels too good to be true
• You’re receiving help you didn’t ask for
• The sender can’t prove their identity

Your best defense against social engineering attacks is to educate yourself of their risks, red flags, and remedies. 

Tips to avoid social engineering

• Don’t click links you don’t request
• Don’t overshare personal information online
• Use two-factor authentication.
• Only use strong, unique passwords and change them often
• Don’t allow strangers on your Wi-Fi network
• Don’t leave devices unattended
• Keep your software up to date