How Hackers Use Social Engineering to Gain Access

The Deceptive World of Social Engineering

Social engineering attacks are some of the most effective tricks used by cybercriminals. By manipulating human emotions like trust, urgency, or fear, hackers deceive individuals into giving up confidential information or access to secure systems. An IT provider, outsourced and/or in-house, can recommend solutions that can bolster your organization’s defenses.

What Is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is a type of cyberattack that manipulates individuals into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. Instead of exploiting technical vulnerabilities, social engineering preys on human nature, convincing people to take actions that they wouldn’t normally do, such as giving up passwords, temporary texted authentication codes, or sending money to unauthorized accounts.

Hackers often pose as trusted figures—such as IT staff or executives—making their requests seem legitimate. With the right psychological tactics, social engineers can quickly bypass many of the usual safeguards businesses rely on.

The Psychological Tricks Hackers Use

Social engineering is effective because it targets basic human tendencies. Here’s how hackers exploit these traits:

  • Trust in Authority: By impersonating a figure of authority (like a manager or IT representative), hackers convince victims to comply without question.
  • Creating Urgency: When a message creates a sense of panic or time pressure, people are more likely to bypass security measures to resolve the situation.
  • Appealing to Fear: Hackers often use fear to manipulate victims into hasty actions, like revealing login credentials or wiring funds to avoid a supposed crisis.

Common Types of Social Engineering Attacks

Phishing

Phishing is one of the most widespread social engineering tactics. Hackers send emails that appear to be from legitimate organizations (such as banks or internal departments) to trick recipients into clicking on malicious links or providing sensitive information. These attacks are particularly dangerous because they often appear very convincing, using logos, formatting, and language that closely mimic the real source.

Pretexting

In pretexting attacks, the hacker creates a false narrative to deceive the victim. For example, they might impersonate a trusted employee or vendor, asking for information under the guise of an emergency. Pretexting often takes place over phone calls or emails and requires a bit more planning from the attacker.

Baiting

Baiting involves promising something enticing, like free software or access to content, in exchange for information or access to a system. However, the “bait” is often a Trojan horse carrying malware that infects the victim’s system once downloaded.

Spear Phishing

While phishing targets a large number of people at once, spear phishing is more personalized. Hackers craft messages specifically for the victim based on their position or role within a company, making the request appear more legitimate and harder to detect as fraudulent.

Here Are Some of the Ways We Can Help Safeguard You from Social Engineering

Your business can be protected against these social engineering threats with layers of security. Here are some ways we can help safeguard your operations:

1. Security Awareness Training
We can provide cybersecurity awareness training for your team so they can understand how to identify phishing emails, fraudulent phone calls, and other social engineering techniques. This training can help prevent attacks at the human level—the most common point of entry.

2. Advanced Email Threat Protection
Email filtering systems can detect and block suspicious emails, including phishing attempts and malware attachments. Potentially harmful messages may be flagged or removed entirely before they reach your employees’ inboxes.

3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Even if a hacker tricks someone into revealing a password, MFA systems can help prevent access to your accounts. By requiring a second verification step, an extra layer of security helps keep unauthorized users out.

How to Recognize a Social Engineering Attack: Key Indicators

To protect your business, keep an eye out for these warning signs of social engineering attempts:

  • Unusual Requests: Be cautious of requests for sensitive information or urgent actions that seem out of the ordinary, even if they appear to come from someone you know.
  • Spelling or Grammar Errors: Many phishing emails contain subtle spelling or grammatical mistakes, which can be a red flag.
  • Suspicious Links: Always hover over links before clicking to see where they actually lead. If it doesn’t match the sender’s address or seems odd, it’s best not to click.
  • Urgency or Pressure: Social engineering attackers often push for quick action, trying to get you to bypass normal procedures. If a message makes you feel rushed, double-check its legitimacy.
  • Unfamiliar Sender: Be wary of emails or calls from people you don’t recognize, especially if they ask for confidential information.

By staying alert and recognizing these red flags, you can reduce the likelihood of a social engineering attack. Choose the right layers of security – Bryley can advise. And have your security stack regularly reviewed to keep pace with the evolving social engineering threat.