Most people mistakenly think that cyberattacks can only occur using machines. In reality, most incidents occur when a malicious actor succeeds in manipulating a human being. These threats are famously known as social engineering attacks.
These cyber-threats can be more dangerous and cunning because they usually involve a highly trusted employee or partner. You can only make your business immune to such issues by understanding different kinds of social engineering. The most prominent ones include phishing and whaling.
Increasing your insights about these kinds will help you be prepared for these attacks. Do you want to learn more? Keep reading the article, as it will shed light on the different types of social engineering you must know.
Top 6 Types of Social Engineering Attacks
In the world of cybercrimes, social engineering is the act of exploiting human psychology or error to gain access to a company’s valuable data or system. They are more detrimental than other threats because cybercriminals need to manipulate only a single person from the whole organization. Two of the most notorious types of social engineering are baiting and pretexting. Similarly, business email compromise can also significantly impact your business. Let’s explore the top six types of social engineering attacks:
Phishing
Statistics show that most of the social engineering incidents happen in the form of phishing attacks. To execute their sinister agenda, a cybercriminal cunningly tricks a person into providing them with confidential data or access. They usually mimic a person whom the victim knows closely.
Considering them a trustworthy individual, the victim then acts upon their instruction, clicking a malicious link or downloading a malware-infested file. This can, in turn, prove to be detrimental to your organization. Employing a cybersecurity expert can help you prevent such incidents. Businesses opt for cyber security services UAE to achieve the milestone.
Baiting
Have you ever received an email or encountered a pop-up ad offering valuable things free of cost? If yes, then there are chances that someone has tried to bait you. This is what happens in another common type of social engineering called baiting. These scams can be highly tempting, the main reason why they are successful.
A hacker tries to promise rewarding returns in return for your click. These temptations can range from free movie downloads to mobile upgrades and even physical items. However, as soon as you click the link, they gain access to all of your personal credentials.
Pretexting
Did you know that you can fall prey to cybercrime via pretexting? In fact, creating fake scenarios has become one of the most sophisticated techniques that hackers use nowadays. They can lure you into giving them the required information by telling a fairytale the end of which seems to be in your favor.
Pretexters are impersonators who represent themselves as authorities to con an important employee or partner. For instance, they can impersonate tax officials asking you various questions. These inquiries then lead you to reveal sensitive data that might belong to your or your organization.
Whaling
When it comes to social engineering, there is a type of attack that specifically targets “big whales” in a corporation. The victims in such incidents are usually high officials. That is why this form of social engineering attack is famously called whaling. Although it is just another type of phishing, there is a significant difference.
The disparity lies in the personalization level. Whaling attacks, unlike common phishing scams, focus only on a high-value target. As a result of a successful whaling attack, you can lose your confidential data. You need to enhance your email security and protect your digital assets to evade the risk of whaling.
Business Email Compromise
Probably the most hostile form of social engineering is business email compromise. Why? Because such attacks depend completely upon human psychology and errors. Your whole cybersecurity infrastructure might fail to detect these threats, resulting in the following consequences:
- Loss of a substantial amount of money
- Stealing of strictly personal information
- Enhanced risk of identity theft
- Compromised relationship with third parties
- Unintentional leakage of intellectual property
Data shows that only in 2021, the FBI received a whopping 20,000 business email compromise complaints that resulted in a loss of 2.4 billion dollars. Only a seasoned cybersecurity expert can protect you from BEC. You can refer to cyber security services UAE to prevent business email compromise.
Honeytrap
Well, this might be the most surprising type of not only social engineering but all cybercrimes. Also known as a romance scam, a honeytrap is meant to target a staff member looking for a romantic affair online. To con such individuals, a cybercriminal creates a fake dating platform on a social media site and befriends them.
In this kind of social engineering, a malicious actor will choose a target and start flirting with them. They do so by engaging them in romantic and provocative chats, ultimately telling that they have developed feelings for the victim. Then they ask the prey to prove their love by revealing sensitive information or sending a hefty amount of money.
Avert the Risk of These Social Engineering Attacks Now
Social engineering happens when a manipulative hacker exploits someone’s psychology. These exist in many forms, including phishing, baiting, whaling, BEC, and pretexting. Contact a reputable cybersecurity company now to avert the risk of these social engineering attacks.
