Don't fall for social engineering: Our TOP Tips to stay safe.

Have you ever felt manipulated to give personal details out?

If you have, you may have been a victim of social engineering.

What is social engineering?

Social engineering occurs when a cybercriminal tries to manipulate you into performing an action or sharing confidential information. These criminals typically use social engineering techniques to access your computer systems, gather information, or make money.

How do cyber criminals do it?

The biggest threat to a business is its employees. Human error is the primary way cybercriminals access devices and data. You are responsible for educating your team on standard engineering methods that your employees may encounter. By familiarising themselves with these methods, your team will be able to keep themselves and your business data safe.

Social Engineering Tricks

Cybercriminals will trick you with many different methods. The three most common are malicious links, fake web pages, and impersonation.

Malicious Links: Malicious links often send dangerous software to unsuspecting victims. These links may be featured in phishing emails, which are specifically designed to try to convince you to share sensitive information, click an unsafe line, or download an attachment. A typical format for these emails would be a shipping confirmation or tracking. Due to this email appearing legitimate, you may be tempted to click the link. The link could then download malicious software that will infiltrate your device.

Fake Web Pages: Fake pages are made to trick you into logging into the page or entering sensitive information. You may find fake pages via email or web pages with illegitimate links. These pages work by looking real, so you trust them enough to enter your details or change your passwords, resulting in a cybercriminal infiltrating your account and revoking your access.

Impersonation: Cybercriminals may impersonate a celebrity or someone you know to trick you into revealing sensitive information, clicking an unsafe link, or downloading a malicious attachment. Often, these will come in the form of phone calls with someone impersonating an organisation you would typically trust, such as an internet provider. The fake call could indicate that a payment is overdue and must be made over the phone. You must qualify these calls before giving any information over the phone. Remember that email, text, or social media can also be impersonated.

Our TOP Tips to stay safe

          Before clicking a link, hover your mouse over it to make sure that it matches the website you’re looking for.

          Instead of using buttons within emails, you should navigate to a website directly by entering the URL into the address bar.

-          Never share your personal information unless you are confident that the source you’re sharing with is legitimate.

-          If a message seems suspicious, it probably is. Ensure you call the sender to verify that the request has come from the person directly.

Following these TOP tips can reduce the risk of falling victim to social engineering scams.

For more cyber security tips, check out our YouTube - https://youtu.be/vkvuLxGi2xI

‍

Your employees are your biggest weakness!

Chat with our team today to build a cyber security plan to keep your data secure.

Email: sales@theonepoint.co.uk

Call: 01482 420150