Section 6: Social Engineering and Ransomware Overview

Social engineering is a type of cyber attack that uses psychological manipulation to trick people into sharing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise their security.

Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts or patterns of thinking that can lead to errors in judgment. Attackers exploit these biases to make their social engineering tactics more effective.

Phishing is a common social engineering technique where attackers send fake emails or messages that appear to be from legitimate sources, aiming to steal personal information or access to systems.

Vishing is a type of phishing attack that uses phone calls to deceive victims. Attackers often impersonate legitimate organizations or individuals to gain information or access.

Pretexting is a form of social engineering where attackers create a false scenario or story to gain access to information or systems. They impersonate someone they're not to trick their targets.

Social engineering methodologies are the strategies and techniques that attackers use to manipulate people. These methodologies can include phishing, vishing, and pretexting, each exploiting different psychological vulnerabilities.

Attackers can target individuals directly or exploit vulnerabilities within an organization. They might impersonate trusted figures, exploit fear, or create a sense of urgency to manipulate victims into acting against their best interests.

A technique where the caller ID displayed on a recipient's phone shows a false number, often belonging to someone else, making the call appear legitimate.

A type of scam where criminals impersonate the IRS, calling people claiming they owe taxes or penalties and demanding immediate payment.

A way to deceive email recipients by making an email appear to be sent from a legitimate source, like a bank or a government agency.

A type of attack where criminals impersonate a trustworthy entity to gain access to sensitive information like passwords or credit card details.

Attackers can modify the sender's address in emails to make it appear as though the email is coming from a trusted source, even though it's not.

A way for malicious actors to get access to sensitive information, often by pretending to be someone they are not.

An email sent to trick the recipient into providing sensitive information, like bank details, by making it look like it's from a legitimate source.

Techniques used to deceive people into giving away personal information through fake phone calls or emails.

A type of social engineering attack where attackers use fake phone calls or emails to deceive victims into giving away sensitive information.

When you receive an email, notification, warning, or call, stop before acting. Take a moment to look at your screen and pay attention to what's there.

Many email services have warnings for potentially fake email senders; look out for these.

Always check the website link in an email. It might appear to be from the original website, but could lead to a fake website.

By clicking "Show Original" in the top right corner of an email, you can see detailed information about the sender, including their actual IP address.

Use websites like https://domainbigdata.com to check the legitimacy of an IP address. If a company claims to be from a specific location, but their IP address is from a different country, it could be a scam.

Pay attention to the details of a Facebook page or website. If something seems off, it might be a scam. For example, if a website claims you're their 1,000,000th visitor, it's a red flag.

Sometimes, attackers use social engineering techniques, such as phishing, to impersonate trusted individuals or organizations to gain access to sensitive information.

Attackers may use social engineering to exploit fear or create a sense of urgency, forcing victims to make hasty decisions that compromise their security.

Social engineering attempts to manipulate people into giving up their valuable information or performing actions that harm their security.

Social engineering tactics rely on exploiting human psychology. Attackers may use psychological manipulation to deceive victims into making decisions that compromise their security.

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim's data, making it inaccessible unless they pay a ransom to the attackers. It is a serious threat to individuals and businesses alike.

It's crucial to act quickly. Removing the malware early can prevent it from encrypting all your files. Turn off the device and disconnect it from the network to stop it spreading.

Avoidance is the best defense against ransomware. Strong antivirus software and regular backups are essential.

Paying the ransom is not guaranteed to work. Hackers might not decrypt your data, and it could incentivize more attacks. In some cases, it could also be illegal.

An email designed to appear legitimate, but actually aims to steal your personal information or system access.

A malicious website that is designed to look like a legitimate site, but is actually used to steal your information.

A type of malware that can be downloaded accidentally when visiting a malicious website, or through attachments in spam emails.

A type of advertising that uses deceptive tactics to lure users into visiting malicious websites and downloading malware.

An exploit kit is a collection of tools that hackers use to exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system to break in, spread malware, or steal data.