4 TIPS TO PREVENT A SOCIAL ENGINEERING ATTACK:

1.NEVER REVEAL PASSWORDS OR PINS via email or phone. No matter how legitimate the request seems.  Companies don’t ask for these this way.

2.CALL THEM BACK.  If you receive a call from a company  requesting sensitive information ask for their full name and call back on the number from their website.

3.RESIST THE URGE TO CLICK on suspicious links from anyone, even if you think you know them – always double check the web address first.

4.THINK TWICE.  If something sounds too good to be true, then it  probably is.  Even if it looks and sounds like it’s coming from a reputable source.

Social engineering – what does it look like ?

 Phising, smishing, vishing: Scammers will reach you using emails, SMS, and phone calls; for example, they might do this pretending to be your bank.  If it’s legitimate, a company will let you contact them using official company channels.

 Capturing curiosity: Curiosity is a big part of our human nature – it’s how we evolve.  But it’s also a weakness for scammers to exploit. Found an abandoned USB stick? Never put it into your computer, it’s an easy way for hackers to break in.

Quid pro quo: Quite often, scammers will offer you something like technical assistance, access to a protected document, or a solution for a problem.  They may not ask for money.  Their goal is your login details, which they can use or sell.

Pretexting: This is when a hacker gathers info on you in order to gain your trust.  One way is impersonating someone from your workplace and requesting changes to payments. This one commonly targets finance teams and is often successful.