The cyber-world can be a world of possibilities, but it can also be a web of lies if you aren’t careful or alert enough. Take, for instance, hacking a computer. You may think that a hacker needs contact with the computer in some way to steal information. However, hackers can cause some damage when they get in touch with another person’s computer, they also use human weakness to get into your data networks which is what is known as ​social engineering​. The process is all about tricking someone so that you can gain access to data networks or divulge information. According to a study, more than one in 10 employees fall prey to social engineering attacks. Here is what you need to know and how you can avoid falling prey to these cyber-attacks.

Social Engineering Attacks Can Occur in The Form of:

Unnecessary Tech Support

Sometimes a message pops up on your screen saying that there is something wrong with your computer. Hackers try to obtain money by telling people that your device needs fixing. Furthermore, you may receive emails or calls to let you know about a specific issue or that you require an update. Attackers attempt to scare people in fraudulent ways through these tech support scams. The attacker typically tells you to run multiple commands on your system, following which your device becomes unresponsive.

Email Hacking and Contact Spamming.

In this situation, an individual’s email or social media accounts are hacked so that someone else can gain access to their contacts. They would inform contacts that the person is mugged and has lost all their credit cards. They are then encouraged to wire money to a money transfer account. Your contact may also tell you to check out a ‘must-see video’ that gives malware or a keylogging Trojan access to your device. You can also get an email from your friend saying that they are in danger. If you respond, you get hacked.

Phishing and the Clickbait Technique 

With phishing, a malicious attempt to gain access to sensitive and personal information is performed. The hacker acts as an authentic identity to gain access to financial credentials. They coax people into entering confidential information into a fraudulent website. With clickbait techniques, on the other hand, individuals are trapped through a fraudulent but tempting link or exciting ad of movies or games. If you click on specific clickbait, a suspicious virus or command will be set into motion which could be installed on your device.

How to Avoid Falling Prey 

There are ways to steer clear of falling prey to these fraudulent techniques.

Activate Your Spam Filter

Email service providers generally come with spam filters, so any suspicious email is automatically pushed into the spam folder. Reliable spam filters diagnose doubtful files and links and warn the user to download them at their own risk. Files with specific extensions are automatically barred from the download. Enabling this filter ensures you do not have to go through the laborious task of categorizing emails yourself.

Ensure Your Software is up-to-Date

Outdated software exposes vulnerabilities that allow attackers to take advantage of the system. Regular updates prevent you from falling prey to many dangers. Pay specific attention to your network firewall and see that you maintain the drivers. Download content only from legitimate sources. Be aware of instances when an unknown person connects to your Wifi network. Moreover, see to it that your antivirus is updated.

Simply Think About it.

Social engineering is all about the urgency of the situation. Attackers do not want their targets to think too hard about what is happening. So, the easiest way to not fall prey is to simply sit back and think about it when you notice something unexpected happening. Instead of clicking on a link or giving data out over the phone, you can look at the official website URL or ring the official number. Examine the credibility of the source through a different manner of communication which means that if a friend sends you an email to wire money, call them to confirm whether it is them.

Do not Divulge your Private Details.

Stop considering giving your private information to people who you do not know. So don’t go about giving your sensitive information on the web when it isn’t required. If you do not know who the email is from, simply delete it. When making online purchases, only offer your credit card details over an HTTP secure protocol. Think before you give out data when an unknown person emails or calls you.

When surfing the web, see that you do not leave any traces of your password lying about. Ensure that your antivirus, anti-malware software, and firmware are up-to-date. If you think you have given your password to an account that may be engineered, just change your existing password.

Overall, with all the ​hacking​ taking place, authorities arrested a lot of people, especially during the pandemic with the large number of people staying indoors. According to a report, there were about 4000 cyber attacks taking place a day. People were losing their jobs and had the time since they were spending a lot of it at home, so we were hacking through computers and other internet IPs. Companies wanted to make sure that they were not hiring people who had a reputation or were playing a part in any of these activities.

With so many ​changes​ taking place globally, companies and businesses have started making changes to the way they were conducting the interviews. They started asking their applicants for background checks to verify that they did not have a criminal record. Most of the work handled during the pandemic was connecting to working with other people. During the pandemic, most companies had to shut down since there were spikes in the number of cases, and authorities pushed for national lockdowns in most countries. However, there were essential services that had to keep running throughout the pandemic.

During interviews, applicants had to provide background checks, and they prefer working on getting one through multiple third-party platforms and websites. These would vary depending on the position that the person was applying for and they might have to coordinate these through the police department in the city as well.