Most businesses around the world have already started using a variety of different digital technologies on a daily basis, and it should come as no surprise. After all, they provide numerous benefits, from improving communication to boosting sales. However, it does come at a price.
All of that technology makes use of gigabytes of data. Some of that data is extremely valuable. Think about the personal data of your employees, such as social security numbers. If they end up in the wrong hands, it can result in identity theft and reputational damage, among other things.
It is worth noting that obtaining that data is easier than you think. Thanks to social engineering tactics, hackers can effectively bypass even really tight cybersecurity measures with relative ease. But what is social engineering? And how can you prevent hackers from using it against you? Keep on reading if you want to get the answers to those questions!
What Is a Social Engineering Attack?
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According to cybersecurity experts who specialize in social engineering testing and consulting, two out of every ten employees you have will fall victim to a social engineering attack at some point. Why is that the case? Because it is incredibly effective! All a hacker has to do is trick one of your workers into revealing their login credentials.
It can be done in many ways. For instance, a hacker might impersonate whoever is in charge of the IT department in an SMS. If the worker has no idea what SMS impersonation is, they will provide any information the hacker asks for without suspecting a thing. It is that easy!
When the tricked worker reveals their login credentials, their account becomes an entry point. And if that account has access to any database that contains valuable information, it will all get stolen in a blink of an eye. In the worst-case scenario, you will not even be aware of the fact that such a data breach ever took place.
Why Do Hackers Use Social Engineering?
Software products that used to be the main target of attacks are becoming increasingly harder to crack. Hackers are well aware of that. They know that at this point, successfully brute-forcing their way into a network to steal credentials could take hours, weeks, or even months.
This is where social engineering tactics come in handy. The very same credentials can be stolen in a matter of minutes, which makes social engineering incredibly time-efficient. It can also make it harder for you to figure out who stole all of that data.
You might have thousands of employees who receive lots of SMS messages every single day. Some of them might be deleting them immediately after reading. The same goes for e-mails and call logs. Because of that, finding out who the person asked for their credentials was might prove to be nearly impossible.
How Can You Prevent a Social Engineering Attack?
It would be best if you began with hiring a consultant who will conduct a cybersecurity audit for your company. First of all, it will give you a general idea of how effective the cybersecurity policies and procedures you put in place are. Second of all, the consultant will let you know if any of them are faulty or outdated and suggest potential solutions to that problem, if necessary.
Next, invest in creating a security-minded culture within your business. The easiest way to do that includes continual education and training. However, keep in mind that one training session will not be enough. Hackers come up with creative and innovative ways to steal data every single day. Consequently, you need to keep your employees in the loop.
If you are not a cybersecurity expert, consider hiring a company that will carry out training sessions every few months. Such people will have the resources and experience needed to make all of your workers understand how important cybersecurity is. Moreover, from that point on, they will be able to avoid falling victim to social engineering attacks.
Invest in Cybersecurity Today!
All in all, the cybersecurity of your business should be one of your top priorities. As a business owner, you need to be aware of what tactics can be used against you and find the most efficient means of protection. It is especially important when it comes to social engineering attacks.
According to the statistics provided by Verizon, 22% of all confirmed data breaches in 2020 involved social engineering attacks. Because of that, you should educate your workers on that matter. Training sessions should be held at least every few months and conducted by professionals who can make them as engaging as possible. That way, your workers will commit most of the information that they are presented with to memory instead of wishing to get back to work.
Lastly, keep in mind that investing in the cybersecurity of your business is totally worth it. If anyone tells you that it is an unnecessary expense, ignore them. In this day and age, most of the data related to your business is stored digitally. Making sure that it is well-protected is your responsibility and an act of common sense!
