Social engineering (security)
In the context of information security, social engineering is the use of psychological pressure to influence people to perform actions or divulge confidential information. It has also been more broadly defined as "any act that influences a person to take an action that may or may not be in their best interests." A type of confidence trick for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or system access, it differs from a traditional "con" in the sense that it is often one of many steps in a more complex fraud scheme.
Social engineering attacks have been increasing in intensity and number, prompting research into novel detection techniques and cybersecurity educational programs.
Research undertaken in 2020 has indicated that social engineering will be one of the most prominent challenges of the upcoming decade. The ability to thwart social engineering attacks will be increasingly important for organizations and countries. Social engineering raises the question of whether our decisions will be accurately informed if our primary information is engineered and biased.
Techniques and terms
All social engineering techniques are based on exploitable weaknesses in human decision-making known as cognitive biases. Social engineering differs from psychological manipulation in that it doesn't need to be controlling, negative or a one-way transaction. Manipulation involves a zero-sum game where one party wins and the other loses while social engineering can be win-win for both parties.An example of social engineering would be an attacker who walks into a building and posts an official-looking announcement to the company bulletin that says the telephone number for the help desk has changed. When employees call the false number for help, the individual asks them for their passwords and IDs, thereby gaining access to the company's private information.
Another example of social engineering would be a hacker contacting the target on a social networking site and starting a conversation with them. Gradually, the hacker gains the trust of the target and then uses that trust to gain access to sensitive information like password or bank account details.
Pretexting
Pretexting, also known in the UK as blagging, is the act of creating and using an invented scenario to engage a targeted victim in a manner that increases the chance the victim will divulge information or perform actions that would be unlikely in ordinary circumstances. An elaborate lie, it most often involves some prior research or setup and the use of this information for impersonation to establish legitimacy in the mind of the target.Water holing
Water holing is a targeted social engineering strategy that capitalizes on the trust users have in websites they regularly visit. The victim feels safe to do things they would not do in a different situation. A wary person might, for example, purposefully avoid clicking a link in an unsolicited email, but the same person would not hesitate to follow a link on a website they often visit. So, the attacker prepares a trap for the unwary prey at a favored watering hole. This strategy has been successfully used to gain access to some very secure systems.Baiting
Baiting is a form of real-world Trojan horse that uses physical media and relies on the curiosity or greed of the victim. In this attack, attackers leave malware-infected floppy disks, CD-ROMs, or USB flash drives in locations people will find them, give them legitimate and curiosity-piquing labels, and wait for victims.Unless computer controls block infections, insertion compromises PCs "auto-running" media. Hostile devices can also be used. For instance, a "lucky winner" is sent a free digital audio player compromising any computer it is plugged to. A "road apple" is any removable media with malicious software left in opportunistic or conspicuous places. It may be a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive, among other media. Curious people take it and plug it into a computer, infecting the host and any attached networks. Again, hackers may give them enticing labels, such as "Employee Salaries" or "Confidential".
One study published in 2016 had researchers drop 297 USB drives around the campus of the University of Illinois. The drives contained files on them that linked to webpages owned by the researchers. The researchers were able to see how many of the drives had files on them opened, but not how many were inserted into a computer without having a file opened. Of the 297 drives that were dropped, 290 of them were picked up and 135 of them "called home".
Ad phishing
Ad phishing is a social engineering technique in which malicious actors use online ads to deceive users into believing they are interacting with legitimate brands or services. According to Google, these deceptive ads often mimic trusted entities such as banks, software providers, or customer support pages, leading users to fraudulent sites that attempt to steal passwords, credit card information, or other sensitive data.Quid Pro Quo
An attacker offers to provide sensitive information or pay some amount of money in exchange for a favor. The attacker may pose as an expert offering free IT help, whereby they need login credentials from the user.Scareware
The victim is bombarded with multiple messages about fake threats and alerts, making them think that the system is infected with malware. Thus, attackers force them to install remote login software or other malicious software. Or directly extort a ransom, such as offering to send a certain amount of money in cryptocurrency in exchange for the safety of confidential videos that the criminal has, as he claims.Tailgating (piggybacking)
An attacker pretends to be a company employee or other person with access rights in order to enter an office or other restricted area. Deception and social engineering tools are actively used. For example, the intruder pretends to be a courier or loader carrying something in his hands and asks an employee who is walking outside to hold the door, gaining access to the building.Law (US)
In common law, pretexting is an invasion of privacy tort of appropriation.Pretexting of telephone records
In December 2006, United States Congress approved a Senate sponsored bill making the pretexting of telephone records a federal felony with fines of up to $250,000 and ten years in prison for individuals. It was signed by President George W. Bush on 12 January 2007.Federal legislation
The 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is a U.S. Federal law that specifically addresses pretexting of banking records as an illegal act punishable under federal statutes. When a business entity such as a private investigator, SIU insurance investigator, or an adjuster conducts any type of deception, it falls under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission. This federal agency has the obligation and authority to ensure that consumers are not subjected to any unfair or deceptive business practices. US Federal Trade Commission Act, Section 5 of the FTCA states, in part:"Whenever the Commission shall have reason to believe that any such person, partnership, or corporation has been or is using any unfair method of competition or unfair or deceptive act or practice in or affecting commerce, and if it shall appear to the Commission that a proceeding by it in respect thereof would be to the interest of the public, it shall issue and serve upon such person, partnership, or corporation a complaint stating its charges in that respect."
The statute states that when someone obtains any personal, non-public information from a financial institution or the consumer, their action is subject to the statute. It relates to the consumer's relationship with the financial institution. For example, a pretexter using false pretenses either to get a consumer's address from the consumer's bank, or to get a consumer to disclose the name of their bank, would be covered. The determining principle is that pretexting only occurs when information is obtained through false pretenses.
While the sale of cell telephone records has gained significant media attention, and telecommunications records are the focus of the two bills currently before the United States Senate, many other types of private records are being bought and sold in the public market. Alongside many advertisements for cell phone records, wireline records and the records associated with calling cards are advertised. As individuals shift to VoIP telephones, it is safe to assume that those records will be offered for sale as well. Currently, it is legal to sell telephone records, but illegal to obtain them.