Guide to Social Engineering Cyber Attacks

Most of us have gotten an email that looked legitimate at first. Upon closer inspection, however, you might notice something odd: an unusual email address or a strange hyperlink. These types of phishing scams happen all the time, and they can quickly damage your network and interrupt business operations. Learn more about social engineering scams from Tekie Geek, providers of expert IT services in New York and New Jersey.

What Is Social Engineering?

Cybercriminals use many different methods to try to attack businesses and access private data. Social engineering is a type of attack that relies on human interaction. The attacker attempts to manipulate a person’s behavior to gain unauthorized access to a network, database, or system for financial gain.

Social engineering often happens over email or phone. Common methods include:

 Phishing 

This is an attempt to obtain private information, usually over email. A phisher will send a message that looks legitimate to get an employee to click a link or provide credentials. The attacker then uses this access point to install malware or ransomware. 

 Smishing 

Also known as SMS phishing, this type of social engineering is done via text message to trick the recipient into sharing information. The attacker may use scare tactics, such as posing as a financial institution and telling the recipient their account has been compromised. 

 Vishing 

 In this type of attack, a scammer will call an employee to try to get them to disclose private or company information over the phone. Or they may leave voicemails pretending to be calling from government agencies, such as the IRS.

These scams are increasingly used by bad actors – a Federal Bureau of Investigation report found that phishing is one of the most common internet crimes. 

How to Recognize Social Engineering Attempts

It’s important to train your employees to recognize phishing emails and other social engineering schemes. Use these tips:

• Check the sender and recipients: If the sender’s email address isn’t familiar or the recipient is listed as undisclosed, it may be a phishing email.
• Look for errors: Phishing emails often have incorrect logos, misspelled words, or generic greetings.
• Be wary of warnings or threats: Social engineering scams often try to invoke fear or create a sense of urgency, such as telling the recipient their account is about to be suspended. 
• Avoid attachments: Make sure employees know never to download an attachment from an unknown sender. Check with your computer consultant if you’re not sure if a file attachment is legitimate.

 Best Practices to Evade Social Engineering Scams

Unfortunately, small and medium-sized businesses often are targeted by phishers. A successful phishing attack can be costly to fix – and it can negatively affect your company’s reputation. Take steps to defend your network and safeguard your information:

 Establish Data Security Protocols 

Create a data governance policy and have procedures in place for handling sensitive information. Train employees on your protocols and use follow-up surveys and mock scenarios to test for effectiveness. 

 Quarantine Emails 

Your email program should filter out spam and mark emails as suspicious. Adjust your settings if phishing attempts are getting through.

 Secure Company Devices 

Make sure all your computers have up-to-date anti-virus software, and don’t put off firmware updates – you could be missing out on crucial security patches. A managed IT provider can advise you on the best anti-virus protections.

Partner with Tekie Geek in Staten Island, NY

Don’t wait until after an attack to invest in security measures. Partner with a managed service provider like Tekie Geek to get ahead of cybersecurity risks and protect your business. Our team of IT superheroes offers secure email services and 24/7 monitoring to filter out potential phishing attacks. Tekie Geek works with businesses throughout New York and New Jersey. Contact us today for more information about Tekie Geek’s IT services.