Social engineering is a form of cyberattack that relies on human error rather than technical vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive information or systems.
It involves manipulating people into giving up their personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, or into performing actions that they would not normally do, such as clicking on a malicious link or opening an infected file.
Phishing is a type of social engineering attack that involves sending fraudulent emails or text messages that appear to be from legitimate sources, such as banks or credit card companies. The goal of phishing attacks is to trick people into giving up their personal information or clicking on malicious links that can infect their computers with malware.
Social engineering and phishing attacks can be very effective, as they rely on human weaknesses such as trust, fear, and greed.
To protect yourself from these attacks, it is important to be aware of the risks and to take steps to protect your personal information.
This includes being cautious about opening emails or text messages from unknown senders, never clicking on links or opening attachments unless you are sure they are legitimate, and using strong passwords and two-factor authentication whenever possible.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
There are several methods to prevent phishing:
– **Be cautious about opening emails or text messages from unknown senders.**
If you don’t recognize the sender, or if the email or text message seems suspicious, don’t open it.
– **Never click on links or open attachments unless you are sure they are legitimate.**
If you’re not sure, hover over the link to see if the domain name matches the company or organization that sent the email. You can also check the sender’s email address to see if it’s a legitimate address.
– **Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication whenever possible.**
Strong passwords should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a second form of identification, such as a code sent to your phone when you log in to an account.
– **Be aware of the current phishing activities and recent scams.**
You can find information about the latest phishing scams from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
– **Report phishing attempts.**
If you receive a phishing email or text message, report it to the company or organization that the email or text message is impersonating. You can also report phishing attempts to the APWG and the FTC.
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