Social Engineering (also known as people hacking) is the art of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving others to gain access to confidential information or protected systems. Social engineering is highly effective as it exploits our human tendency to be polite, err under pressure, and the basic desire to feel good about ourselves. As technical defenses continue to improve, cybercriminals have learned that it is often easier to exploit people than to find a network or software vulnerability.
Common types of Social Engineering
Phishing and Smishing – the use of email or malicious websites (Phishing) or SMS text message (Smishing) to solicit sensitive information from an individual by posing as a trustworthy person or organization.
Examples include downloading fake anti-virus software that allows fraudsters to access personal information on the victim’s computers, fake requests to update bank or credit card information on a phony website, fake purchase order or delivery notifications for items never purchased.
Vishing – (phone call phishing) the use of a phone call to solicit sensitive information from an individual by posing as a trustworthy person or organization.
Examples include calls pretending to be a family member in distress asking to have money wired or gift cards purchased, tech support impersonators calling about a virus infection on a computer, calls pretending to be a charity (especially after natural disasters), schemes pretending the victim has won a sweepstakes or lottery but that the victim must pay a fee to obtain the prize.
