Social Engineering Attacks: Terms, Tactics, and Prevention

What is a Social Engineering Attack?

Social engineering attacks exploit human psychology to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information, granting unauthorised access, or, performing actions that compromise security.

The primary goal of social engineering is to deceive individuals into compromising security measures by exploiting human tendencies such as curiosity, fear, or trust. Attackers aim to gain access to sensitive data, steal funds, install malware, or disrupt business operations.

How Social Engineering Attack Works

Social engineering attacks typically follow a series of steps:

• Research: Attackers gather information about their target through social media, online databases, and other public sources.
• Engagement: The attacker establishes trust through communication, often pretending to be a legitimate person or authority.
• Manipulation: The victim is tricked into revealing information, clicking malicious links, or otherwise taking actions that compromise security.
• Execution: The attacker exploits the obtained data to achieve their goal, such as financial theft, unauthorised access, or data breaches.

Why Social Engineering Works

Social engineering is successful because it exploits natural human behaviours such as:

• Trust and authority: People tend to comply with requests from figures of authority.
• Curiosity and temptation: Individuals may be lured by enticing offers or urgent requests.
• Fear and urgency: Creating a sense of emergency prompts quick, uncalculated actions even from otherwise calm and rational people.
• Social norms: Ingrained courtesy and helpfulness can lead to security lapses.

As such, this is an extremely effective method in cybersecurity breaches as it exploits human connection and emotion.

Cases of Social Engineering Attacks in the Past Decade

Twitter Bitcoin Scam (2020)

Hackers conducted phone-based phishing (vishing) attacks on Twitter employees, impersonating IT support staff. They convinced employees to provide credentials for internal systems. The attackers exploited trust in IT personnel and created a sense of urgency, claiming there were security issues that required immediate action. They gained access to Twitter’s internal tools and hijacked high-profile accounts to post fraudulent Bitcoin giveaway messages, stealing over $100,000 from unsuspecting users.

Ubiquiti Networks Attack (2015)

Business Email Compromise (BEC) tactics were used to impersonate Ubiquiti executives and send fraudulent emails instructing employees to transfer funds. The attackers used domain spoofing and carefully crafted emails that mimicked executive communication styles, creating a sense of legitimacy and urgency. Employees unwittingly transferred $46.7 million to fraudulent overseas accounts before detecting the scam.

Common Types of Social Engineering Attacks

• Baiting - Lures victims into a trap using enticing offers, such as a malware-infected USB drive or fake online downloads.
• Business Email Compromise (BEC) - Cybercriminals impersonate executives or trusted contacts to trick employees into transferring funds or sharing confidential information.
• Phishing - Attackers pose as legitimate entities via emails, fake websites, or messages to steal credentials or financial information.
• Pretexting - An attacker fabricates a scenario to manipulate victims into revealing sensitive data.
• Spear Phishing - A highly targeted phishing attack customised for a specific individual or organisation.
• Smishing (SMS Phishing) - Phishing attack conducted via SMS to steal personal information or infect devices with malware.
• Scareware - Malware disguised as security software, tricking users into downloading harmful programmes.
• Vishing (Voice Phishing) - Phone-based attacks where scammers pose as trusted authorities (e.g., banks, tech support) to steal information.
• Watering Hole Attack - A method where cybercriminals infect a frequently visited website to compromise visitors.
• Tailgating (Piggybacking) - Physical social engineering where an attacker follows an authorised individual into a secure area.
• Quid Pro Quo - Attackers offer something of value in exchange for information, often pretending to be IT support.
• Deepfake Attack - Where attackers use AI-generated fake audio, video, or images to impersonate someone and deceive victims into taking harmful actions, such as transferring money or revealing sensitive information.

How to Prevent Social Engineering Attacks

• Verify Requests: Always confirm identities before sharing sensitive information.
• Beware of Unsolicited Communications: Treat unexpected emails, calls, or messages with scepticism.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds extra security layers to prevent unauthorised access.
• Educate Employees and Users: Conduct security awareness training on recognising social engineering tactics.
• Secure Physical Access: Implement badge access controls and discourage tailgating.
• Adopt Deepfake Detection Solutions: prevent deepfake attacks by identifying and flagging manipulated content before it causes harm

Detecting a Social Engineering Attack

• Unusual Requests: Emails or calls requesting sensitive information urgently.
• Suspicious URLs and Email Addresses: Look for misspellings or unusual domains.
• Unverified Attachments or Links: Hover over links before clicking and scan attachments for malware.
• Pressure or Threats: Attackers often use urgency or fear to prompt immediate action.

How to Respond if You Fall Victim to a Social Engineering Attack

• Immediately Disconnect: If malware is suspected, disconnect from networks to prevent further spread.
• Report the Incident: Notify IT security teams or relevant authorities.
• Change Credentials: Update compromised passwords and enable MFA.
• Monitor Financial Accounts: Check for unauthorised transactions and report fraudulent activity.
• Educate and Train Employees: Review security practices to prevent future incidents.

Understanding these social engineering tactics is essential for preventing attacks and enhancing cybersecurity awareness. By staying informed and vigilant, individuals and organisations can better protect themselves against evolving cyber threats.

Stay One Step Ahead of Social Engineering Threats

Protect your organisation from deepfake-driven scams with Ensign’s Deepfake Detection Solutions. Empower your teams to verify communications, detect AI-generated content, and stop attackers before they succeed. Learn more about our Deepfake Detection Solutions here.