Common Social Engineering Techniques

1. Phishing
Phishing is perhaps the most widely recognized form of social engineering. In phishing attacks, victims are misled by fake emails, websites, or text messages that appear to be from legitimate sources. These fraudulent communications aim to steal confidential information such as passwords or credit card details. Phishing attacks are effective because they are often very professionally designed, making them difficult to distinguish from genuine communication.

2. Spear Phishing
Spear phishing is a targeted variant of phishing, where criminals focus on a specific individual or organization. Personalized emails are crafted to appear to be from legitimate sources, such as a colleague or a business partner. These attacks are often carefully prepared and based on information the criminals have previously gathered about their target.

3. Baiting
Baiting exploits human curiosity or greed, both online and offline. For instance, a criminal might leave an infected USB stick near a business, hoping that someone will pick it up and plug it into their computer. This can lead to the installation of malware or date theft.

4. Water-holing
Water-holing targets a specific group of users by infecting the websites they regularly visit. Criminals look for vulnerabilities on these sites and use them to deploy malware. When a member of the target group visits the infected website, their device is compromised. This technique is particularly dangerous because it is difficult to detect and can be aimed at very specific target groups.

5. Vishing
Vishing (voice phishing) involves using phone calls or voicemails to deceive victims. The criminals often pose as bank employees or government officials and attempt to convince victims to share sensitive information such as bank details.

6. Pretexting
Pretexting is a technique where criminals assume a false identity to obtain information from their victims. For example, they may pretend to be a customer service representative from a well-known company and ask the victim to verify personal information.

7. Quid Pro Quo
Quid pro quo involves offering a service in exchange for sensitive information. A common example is where a criminal poses as an IT support worker and offers to fix an issue on a device in exchange for login details.

8. Malware
Malware attacks can also be considered a form of social engineering, when victims are deceived into installing it on their devices. For example, a pop-up might appear claiming to have detected a virus on the victim’s computer, prompting them to download a tool that installs malware.

9. Tailgating
Tailgating is a physical technique where a criminal tries to gain access to a secure building by simply walking in behind someone who has an access card. This highlights the importance of vigilance in physical security.

Conclusion
Social engineering techniques are varied and can be very effective. By being aware of these techniques you can better protect yourself and your organization from potential attacks.