Social engineering is a common strategy used by cyber attackers. It relies heavily on human interaction, like phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media, and typically involves tricking people into making the mistake of sharing personal information.
Social engineering tactics are successful when the attackers are able to manipulate victims into performing certain actions or providing confidential information.
Today, social engineering is recognized as one of the greatest security threats against individuals and businesses because it enables attackers to gain access to confidential information.
Here are some tips to keep from being a victim of social engineering:
Beware of emails that are asking for sensitive information.
Beware of emails, texts or social media posts that are rushing you to take an action or create a false sense of urgency.
Beware of phone calls that are requesting personal information or asking you to take action without thoroughly proving who they are.
Be cautious of messages with generic greetings. When you receive emails from personal email accounts, like Gmail or Hotmail, you should proceed with caution.
Most importantly, if you feel like something is suspicious, go with your gut. Because you are your best defense against social engineering.
