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Social Engineering vs Phishing
Social engineering and phishing are two interconnected cybersecurity concepts that you must understand to better protect yourself or your organization from data theft and breaches. Social engineering is a broad term that covers a multitude of deceptive practices designed to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information. It can take on many forms, such as impersonation, baiting, or pretexting. Phishing is a specific type of social engineering where attackers pose as trustworthy entities to trick people into revealing sensitive data like credit card numbers, login credentials, or social security numbers.
Why Does Social Engineering and Phishing Exist?
Social engineering and phishing exist because they are effective methods for cybercriminals to obtain valuable data. Cybercriminals exploit human psychology and trust to manipulate victims into giving away their sensitive information or access to systems. Given that humans are often the weakest link in the cyber defense chain, many attackers find it easier to exploit human behaviors rather than having to hack into a system directly.
Who Needs to Understand Social Engineering and Phishing?
Every individual and organization using the internet and digital services needs to understand social engineering and phishing. This is important, whether you're an individual managing personal email accounts or a large corporation with a complex IT infrastructure. Knowledge about these tactics is crucial in building effective strategies to mitigate potential attacks. Moreover, as we increasingly rely on the cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms, understanding these cyber threats can help secure these environments.
How Is Social Engineering and Phishing Used?
Social engineering and phishing are used to manipulate the victim into willingly providing their personal data or credentials. This is often done through email campaigns that trick users into clicking on malicious links or opening infected attachments. Cloud infrastructure and SaaS platforms are common targets for such attacks because of their widespread use and the wealth of information they contain.
How Common Is Social Engineering and Phishing?
Social engineering and phishing are alarmingly common. According to a report by Verizon, nearly a third of all cyber breaches involve some form of phishing. With the shift towards cloud-based services and remote work, attackers have an expanding array of potential targets. With these threats looming, it becomes increasingly necessary for organizations to implement strict Identity and Access Management (IAM) protocols, practice least privilege access, and maintain robust cybersecurity measures.
