Social engineering is one of the emerging methods to perpetrate online identity theft. By tapping into and abusing their knowledge of human social behavior, identity thieves can deceive a person into a sharing his or her sensitive personal data such as social security numbers, credit card authorizations, banking information and online account passwords.
Social engineering can be used to trick victims into doing actions that compromise their privacy and online security, often resulting in heavy financial losses. Below are some of the best resources and guides to help you avoid malicious social engineering tricks – and help you cope should you become a victim of these tactics.
Malicious Social Engineering 101
Malicious social engineering attacks are evolving each day, but the fundamentals remain the same: Exploit on social vulnerabilities. Knowing how malicious social engineers think and act is the first step to countering their schemes.
Social-Engineer.org – Still baffled by the concept of malicious social engineering? Social-Engineer.org provides a comprehensive crash course on the subject. From defining social engineering to outlining the methods of a malicious social engineer, this information-heavy portal even has a monthly newsletter that keeps you in the loop of emerging social engineering news, tricks and consumer protection strategies.
Security Expert Discusses Social Engineering – Consumers and companies alike will do well to read this insightful interview with a security expert on how social engineering has evolved to become a mainly online threat and how attacks are made. The article also dissects a malicious social engineering experiment and the lessons that can be gleaned from victim complacency.
Social Engineering Scams – Avoid these Digital Traps
Social engineering scams can come from the most unlikely sources. You might just be downloading a harmless free app only to find out that it comes loaded with a phishing program. Keep abreast of past, current and emerging social engineering scams with these resources.
Protection Against E-mail and Web Scams – For Windows users, Microsoft runs down the most commonly used messages in social engineering scams (too-good-to-be-true deals and account closure threats, for example) and offers tools you can readily use to help avoid these scams. Also, keep tabs of the new phishing and fraud techniques that are cropping up on an almost daily basis.
3 Mobile Malware Techniques – With the world’s increasing reliance on mobile devices, malicious social engineers are also migrating en masse to the new platform. Three of the most prolific mobile malware attacks come from legitimate-looking malicious apps, malicious ads offering free apps, and infected PC transfers. Beware of these!
Stanford’s Practical Defense Tips – Social engineering scams can often be spotted, but only if you know what to look for. Stanford provides a list of signals that an email, link or offer may be part of a social engineering scam. What makes these tips great is that they are based on common sense and scamming trends, and does not require fancy technology or advanced knowledge from the user.
Social Engineering Basics for Businesses – Businesses typically have more to lose from a malicious social engineering attack, with thousands or even millions of dollars at stake. This guide helps with the daunting task of preparing a company against online threats like phishing emails, corporate espionage, and Facebook friend frauds.
Identity Theft Victims – How to Cope and Fight Back
Have you become a victim of a social engineering scam that led to identity theft? If your credit card data has been compromised, banking details divulged, or online passwords stolen – then you need to act fast to mitigate your losses. Use the guides below to regain control of your online data and security.
Immediate Steps to Repair Identity Theft – Just found out your identity has been stolen? Use this first-response guide from the Federal Trade Commission that boils down the first three actions you should take: Place an initial fraud alert, order your credit reports, and create an identity theft report. Included are detailed instructions on how to go about each of these actions.
Taking Charge After Identity Theft – After the three initial steps above, you can proceed to the equally important next steps that will fast-track your recovery from the attack. Victims of identity theft will have to deal with a lot of form filing to alert all the required organizations and companies that the fraud has been perpetrated, cross-checking of files to ensure that the thief has not tampered with your data and accounts, and government coordination to track down the criminal. This handy and well-presented guide takes you through the entire process with a helpful hand.
Dealing with Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft – Victims of identity theft, including those involving credit card frauds, often fail to take a more comprehensive response as those outlined by Bank of America. This step-by-step guide covers all the necessary bases so that you can limit the amount of data leakage and financial damage from the successful social engineering attack.
