Human error is a major risk factor in cybersecurity.
Hackers might try to breach your network using a variety of sophisticated tools and software, but they are also more than happy to use trickery or social engineering. Calling a single employee and convincing them to hand over sensitive info can be far more effective than trying to break through a business’s defenses.
Some of the biggest cyberattacks begin with a phone call.
Social Engineering Explained
Social engineering is the practice of tricking or persuading members of your team to give an attacker access to your systems or data.
Here’s what it might look like…
A cybercriminal might send a lower-level team member an email pretending to be your CEO. They claim that they unintentionally locked themselves out of your telecoms system and that they need to use the team member’s login to make a crucial phone call. They act pushy and the junior employee feels under pressure to give the login. If they do, the cybercriminal will have access to your telecom system. From there they can listen in on conversations, call your clients and suppliers using your phone number, or convince other employees to supply even more sensitive information. They can gain a large amount of access without having to write a single line of code.
Social Engineering Risk Factors
Despite any cybersecurity measures you have in place; social engineering can still be a serious risk to your company. The bigger your company is, the more at risk from social engineering it is. Employees in large companies are more likely to not know every other employee personally, which makes them easier to impersonate. Working from home increases this risk even more because increasingly more communications that would have previously taken place in person now take place over the phone and by email.
How To Defend Against Social Engineering
- Training
We supply cybersecurity awareness training that covers the risks and warning signs of social engineering as part of our cybersecurity package. Employees feel more invested in the overall security of the company in workplaces where they are aware of the risks and the part, they can play in defending against it. This will increase the security of your company and lessen the likelihood of a successful cyberattack or data breach. - Penetration Testing
We supply penetration testing services as a follow-up to the cybersecurity training. We hire cybersecurity experts who are familiar with the methods that hackers use to try to breach the security of your network (some are former hackers themselves). They will try and breach your security using both technology and social engineering. If they are able to breach your security, we can use their findings to inform future improvements. If they are unable to breach your defenses, then you have the reassurance that your cybersecurity stood up to a real-world challenge.
Both these services are part of the managed cybersecurity solutions we provide. Speak to our cyber-defence team today to learn more.