Electronic transmission of messages is the norm in this digital world, where we don’t even remember a time we used to do without it.
In this day and age, we store and transmit personal info electronically. As a result, sensitive information is at risk for cybercrime.
One of the most significant threats we face is social engineering attacks. Unlike regular cyber-attacks that focus on technical vulnerabilities, these ones use human psychology against us. They can come in many forms such as phishing, pretexting, baiting, and tailgating.
After this read, you’ll know what they are and how to prevent falling victim to them.
What Is Social Engineering?
Social engineering is a deceptive practice used by attackers to manipulate individuals into giving up confidential information or doing certain things that can put their safety and their organization at risk.
Impersonating someone else relies on tactics like trust, urgency, intimidation, or impersonation to trick themselves into obtaining unauthorized access to systems or confidential data.
Common Techniques Used In Social Engineering
- Phishing: If you’ve ever gotten an email or notification with something important in it that you need to click on, that’s phishing. Attackers send fake messages pretending it’s from a legitimate source and urge the recipient to click on a link with malicious software or hand over sensitive info like credit card numbers.
- Pretexting: Attackers make up a scenario that feels real as an excuse to extract important info from a target. For example, when impersonating a coworker or trusted organization, they claim that they need specific data for something legitimate.
- Baiting: In this method, attackers offer something tempting like free downloads or software in hopes of luring victims into installing harmful software on their devices.
- Tailgating: Tailgating is when someone follows an authorized person into a restricted area. By doing this they trick people into thinking they have the right to go somewhere. Oftentimes, attackers take advantage of people’s nature to help others.
How To Catch Social Engineering Attacks?
Catching social engineering attacks isn’t always easy but it can be done. Here are some signs to look for:
- Urgent Requests: If you see a message or request that needs your immediate attention, be cautious. One of the tactics that attackers use is a sense of urgency in order to make you move quickly without thinking.
- Strange Requests: Don’t trust everything and everyone. If someone asks for something sensitive or something just doesn’t feel right about it, verify their request through another channel.
- Emails and URLs: Scammers love creating fake domains and emails. They’re designed to look like the real thing but if you look closely, you’ll find misspelled words or small changes.
- Unprompted Messages: You know those emails where they want your personal information? Don’t trust them, and definitely don’t trust ones from people you don’t know.
- Inconsistent Information: They slip up too. Look for inconsistencies in communication such as sender names not matching email addresses or weird things said.
- Verification: Lastly, and most importantly, verify any request made for sensitive information through another channel entirely.
Preventing Social Engineering using DMARC, SPF, and DKIM
When a communication is authenticated, service providers may determine if it originated from a reliable source or was forged or fabricated by spammers, con artists, or spoofers posing as someone they are not.
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC analyzer are the three email authentication techniques that are used the most frequently; we’ll discuss them below.
A provider’s red lights will instantly go up if authentication is missing or badly set up, which might result in the message winding up in the spam folder—or not being delivered at all. If the message can be validated with at least one of these, it is more likely to reach the inbox.
Methods and Protocols
- SPF, or Sender Policy Framework, is a method for determining which IPs are permitted to send email on your behalf based on a domain.
- DKIM, also known as Domain Keys Identified Mail, is a message-based signature that employs cryptography to sign emails and confirm that they were not tampered with while in transit.
- A domain-based method of informing recipients how to respond to authentication failures for your domain (accept, quarantine, or reject) is known as domain-based message authentication, reporting & conformance, or DMARC.
How To Start Authenticating Emails?
To start authenticating your emails and commence your journey toward a safer future against social engineering attacks, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Enable SPF/DKIM/both with a free DKIM generator tool
Step 2: Create your DMARC record
Step 3: Enable DMARC reporting
Conclusion
Social engineering attacks prey on weaknesses. To dodge them, you need the right knowledge, vigilance, and best practices. Installing security measures, staying informed about tactics, and training your team is the way to go.
This will help protect yourself and your organization from deceptive threats. The first line of defense against social engineering attacks will always be you.
