Social Engineering is the process of manipulating people so they will give up confidential info. The different types of info these people are trying to get can vary, but when citizens are targeted the criminals are often trying to trick you into passing them your passwords or bank information, or access your computer to with your knowledge install malicious software–that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving the hacker control over your desktop.
"Artists" use SEing skills because it is usually easy to exploit your inclination to believe someone than it is to discover ways to hack your program. For example, it is much simple to trick a person into giving you their passkey than it is for you to try cracking their passkey.
Defense is all about knowing what to trust. Knowing when, and when not to, to believe a person; when to believe that the person you are communicating with is indeed the person you think you are talking with; when to tell that a website is or isn’t authentic; when to believe that the person on the phone is or isn’t legitimate; when providing your data is or isn’t a good idea.Ask every security manager and they will all tell you you that the smallest link in the protection chain is the human who accepts a person or event at face value. Social Engineering Forums is very informative about how to stay safe from being a victim of Social Engineering.
"Artists" use SEing skills because it is usually easy to exploit your inclination to believe someone than it is to discover ways to hack your program. For example, it is much simple to trick a person into giving you their passkey than it is for you to try cracking their passkey.
Defense is all about knowing what to trust. Knowing when, and when not to, to believe a person; when to believe that the person you are communicating with is indeed the person you think you are talking with; when to tell that a website is or isn’t authentic; when to believe that the person on the phone is or isn’t legitimate; when providing your data is or isn’t a good idea.Ask every security manager and they will all tell you you that the smallest link in the protection chain is the human who accepts a person or event at face value. Social Engineering Forums is very informative about how to stay safe from being a victim of Social Engineering.
