The Social Engineering of Manipulative Artists

 

Social engineering is a term used to describe the act of cyber criminals that uses the benefits of interactions online or in person to gain access to personal or sensitive information of individuals. They are the greatest artists of the art of manipulation. As aware and well-prepared as an individual could be, all it takes is some time for them to gain your trust in order for them to gain access to your personal information. As much as the world is evolving around you, these manipulating artists evolve too. They create ways and ideas to trick the human mind into giving away their information. The act of breaching data is a malicious and illegal act. Social engineering happens in many ways. A common way of breaching your data happens through time and energy spent to investigate and gather information about a potential individual. Through the information gained, other necessary information such as weaknesses and characteristics of an individual is used as tools to proceed with the next move. The attacker then disguises himself/herself in ways that would not arouse suspicion and uses the strength of manipulation to gain the trust and to manipulate the victim. Victims are often offered help to solve problems that have been created by the attacker. The attacker uses the chance to offer help. People are trusting and willing to help others and the attackers use that to their advantage by deceiving users into revealing information that compromises data security.


There are many forms and tactics in social engineering. Though these scammers come up with several ways to lure victims, the tactics have remained the same for centuries. It can happen anywhere, online or offline. Unlike cyberattacks, social engineers are often in plain sight. Perhaps, it could be someone you happened to get close to recently. One of the famous and traditional tactics used is known as phishing. Hackers draft and send out emails that force or encourage victims to give out sensitive information by tricking them into clicking a link, allowing the hacker to access information. Another common technique is physical breaches. Hackers impersonate someone else in order to gain trust and trick the victims to gain access to a location. Hackers also use pretext calling. Attackers create a scenario to confuse the victims. This then allows them to offer help or advice to obtain information they need.


Never be fooled by social engineers and their tactics. Be sure to be well-informed and educate yourself and your close circles through safe security measures during an attack. It is important to always be cautious when sharing personal information on social media. Do not open emails that are suspicious or give access to strangers or use public connection to connect with a wireless network. There are possibilities for hackers to be closer to you. The next time you get a call from an unknown number, always make sure to verify the contact number or information given by the hackers before giving out your personal information.



Words by: Lohashri Palraj