IT Department
If an organisation wants to protect its customer or client data, it must face the reality that the greatest threat to information security can come from within the company.
Humans are frequently the weakest link in the information security chain, contributing to security system failure.
Hackers frequently feed on human faults, guiding and manipulating them to break whatever protocol in place, using sophisticated social engineering techniques.
With the digital world catching up and more and more companies finding cost-effective ways to run their businesses using offshore staffing solutions, keeping up to date with the current cybersecurity trends and having a secure and solid IT infrastructure ensures trust and transparency between service providers and their clients.
The following techniques are the most common forms of social engineering to manipulate and exploit the so-called “human trust”. Let us all be aware of these cybersecurity attacks.
Scareware
Scareware is a type of malware that convinces users that they need to download or acquire hazardous, and sometimes useless, software. Genuine-looking banners that appear in your browsers or pop-up ads are a good example. It frequently says something along the lines of “your computer has been infected or malfunctioned.”
Once you allow attackers to navigate and remotely access your computer, they will pretend to help you remove any infected software or even fix the malfunctioned section of the computer, allowing them to get control of your computer. Scareware has also been known to convince users to download ransomware, a form of malware that holds the user’s data hostage in exchange for a payout.
Phishing
This strategy, in general, throws a wide area of attempts to attack a large number of people from a single organisation or even a private individual.
It also includes a technique in which the attacker dupes a victim into opening an email, instant message, or text message posing as a reputable source or someone with a well-known name in the area. The recipient is subsequently fooled into clicking a malicious link, which can result in malware installation, or the disclosure of sensitive information.
For example, they may claim to be from a bank and ask for personal information such as your name, address, phone number, or even your password.
Vishing and Smishing
In contrast to phishing, this strategy makes advantage of several communication platforms. Typically, attackers obtain information from the targeted individual via phone calls or SMS messages.
Vishing is a type of phishing when scammers pose as bank personnel or other financial sector employees to urge consumers in disclosing information over the phone.
The most common attack is for them to appear to be from a specific organisation and threaten victims over the phone in order to get remote access to their computers.
Smishing (short for SMS phishing) is similar to and uses the same strategies as email phishing and vishing, except it uses SMS/text messaging in an attempt to persuade recipients to pay money or click on suspicious websites.
Baiting
A social engineering attack in which a scammer utilises a false promise to entice a victim into a trap in which personal and financial information is stolen or malware is installed on the system.
The best example is when social engineers give free USB drives to consumers or individuals. These USB drives are usually infected with malware, which infects the computer.
Baiting entices the victim into the social engineering trap by placing something appealing or intriguing in front of them. A baiting plan can include a free music download, a free movie, or even free software.
With hackers or attackers improving and adapting this social engineering tactic, our greatest defense is to be vigilant and cautious.
Below are just some simple ways in protecting your personal data or even company data:
- Create Complicated Passwords: Creating strong and unique passwords for all your critical accounts is the best way to keep your personal and business information safe.
- Use a password that has eight or more characters
- The length (the longer the better), a mix of letters, digits, symbols, and no ties to your personal information are all important features of a strong password.
- Use different passwords for your personal account and the company system.
- Never share your password with anyone, not even your manager or the IT department.
- Click Smart: Make sure you’re not putting yourself at risk by clicking on attachments from emails without thinking.
- Do not open or click any attachment sent by an unknown sender.
- It’s almost probably a scam if you get a warning about a new virus or an invitation to download free software. If it looks suspicious, it probably is.
- Be a Selective Sharer: Be cautious about what you share, especially if it involves your personal information. This could be used to impersonate you or guess your logins and passwords.
- Practice Safe Surfing & Shopping: Always ensure that the site’s address begins with “https” rather than “http” and has a padlock icon in the URL field while buying online or visiting websites for online banking or other sensitive transactions.
So, how does EnablesGROUP protect its clients and employees against Cybersecurity attacks?
EnablesGROUP’s main concern, like that of any other company, is to protect not only the data of its employees, but also the data or information of all clients and other parties involved.
Apart from the IT infrastructure in place to protect operations, EnablesGROUP has also implemented cybersecurity protocols and policies that adhere to the ISO 27001 standard.
EnablesGROUP’s main effort in terms of cybersecurity enhancement is to make all associates aware and updated of any threats from both external and internal sources by providing a simple orientation or refresher to new hires, a monthly email reminder or trivia to all associates, and an annual infosec awareness program.
