In the world of cybersecurity, Social Engineering is when someone uses psychology to trick you into giving away personal information, clicking on malicious links, or installing malware. They might pretend to be a trusted source, like your bank or a tech company, or they might create a sense of urgency or fear to get you to act quickly and without thinking.
Common Tactics:
- Phishing: This is where you get an email or text message that appears to be from a legitimate source, like your bank or credit card company. The message will often try to scare you into clicking on a link or downloading an attachment that contains malware.
- Pretexting: This is where the attacker creates a fake scenario to gain your trust. For example, they might call you and pretend to be from your IT department, saying they need your help to fix a problem with your computer.
- Baiting: This is where the attacker offers you something that seems too good to be true, like a free gift card or a chance to win a prize. Once you click on the link or provide your personal information, they will steal your information or install malware on your device.
By being aware of social engineering and the tactics that attackers use, you can help protect yourself from these scams.