Social Engineering can be defined as psychological manipulation to deceive victim to perform action that can install harmful software on the victim computer, reveal sensitive information, or perform any other action that can attacker use for illegal activates, such as unauthorized access to device, sensitive data, bank accounts, installing harmful software that can cause financial losses, espionage or prevent access to device, and generally speaking harm a victim privacy and security. In Northern America, Social Engineering breaches represents 56% of breaches [1]. The consequences depend on the kind of malware and can be very destructive such as wiping permanent memory, encrypting files, preventing access to the computer, services, equipment, stealing sensitive data, intellectual properties, and corrupting business. The small business that experienced cyber-attack has 60% chance to get out of business within 6 months [2]. The small business either cannot afford sufficient investment in robust cyber security or believe that they will not be a target (57%), but the small business breaches are represented in 43% of all data breaches [2]. Humans are one of the most vulnerable links of the cyber-security chain. According to Verizone “2024 Data Breach Investigation Report” (DBIR) report, human element were involved in approximately 68% security breaches [3]. There are some estimations that social engineering, is involved in 98% of cyberattacks, where phishing is used in more than 70% of successful security breaches.
Understanding Human Behaviour- Understanding human behavior is essential in the context of social engineering because social engineers exploit psychological principles and vulnerabilities to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information, performing actions, or making decisions that benefit the attacker. Here's how the study of human behavior intersects with social engineering:
1. Psychological Manipulation: Social engineers leverage knowledge of psychological factors such as persuasion techniques, cognitive biases, emotional triggers, and social dynamics to influence targets' behavior.
2. Social Influence: Social engineering relies heavily on social influence tactics to exploit interpersonal relationships, authority dynamics, social norms, and conformity pressures.
3. Emotional Manipulation: Emotional manipulation is a powerful tool in social engineering, as emotions can override rational decision-making processes and lead individuals to act impulsively or irrationally.
4. Trust and Deception: Social engineers exploit the natural human tendency to trust and cooperate with others, especially in social interactions. By building rapport, establishing credibility, and creating a false sense of security, social engineers can deceive targets and manipulate them into revealing sensitive information or performing unauthorized actions.
These are just a few important psychological principles and vulnerabilities to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information, performing actions, or making decisions that benefit the attacker. Understanding the complexities of human behavior requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates insights from various fields of study.
Key Psychological Principles Social engineers exploit various psychological principles to manipulate their targets. Understanding these principles is crucial for both attackers and defenders.
Authority: People tend to follow orders or requests from authority figures without question. Social engineers often impersonate figures of authority to exploit this tendency.
• Social Proof: Individuals often look to others for cues on how to behave, especially in uncertain situations. Attackers use this principle to create a sense of legitimacy.
• Scarcity: People tend to value something more if they perceive it as scarce or limited. Attackers create a sense of urgency to push targets into making quick decisions without proper scrutiny.
• Reciprocity: People feel obliged to return favors or kindness. Social engineers offer something small, like help or information, to trigger this sense of obligation.
• Commitment & Consistency: Once people commit to something, they're more likely to follow through with it. Social engineers get targets to make small commitments that lead to bigger ones.
• Liking: People are more likely to be influenced by individuals they like or have something in common with. Attackers build rapport and likability to gain trust.
By recognizing the psychological principles and vulnerabilities that underlie social engineering tactics, individuals and organizations can better protect themselves against manipulation and exploitation.
Social Engineering Techniques The Software Engineering Techniques can be divided in the:
1. Elicitation,
2. Influence and Persuasion.
Elicitation involves subtly extracting information through conversation without the target realizing they are being manipulated. This can be done in a casual setting. An attacker can strike up a friendly conversation with an employee at a conference, gradually steering the discussion towards obtaining sensitive company information.
Influence and persuasion delve into the psychological principles that underpin successful social engineering, including concepts like reciprocity, authority, and social proof. Understanding these principles is crucial for both attackers and defenders.
Understanding the psychology of persuasion is indeed crucial in the context of social engineering, as social engineers often use various persuasive techniques to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing actions they normally wouldn't.
Influence and persuasion techniques are critical components of social engineering hacking, where the attacker manipulates individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
Here are some key techniques:
Pretexting Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario to persuade a target to release information or perform an action. The attacker pretends to be someone with a legitimate need for information, like an IT support person or a trusted colleague.
Example: An attacker calls an employee pretending to be from the IT department, saying they need the employee's login credentials to fix a network issue.
Phishing Phishing is sending fraudulent communications, often emails, that appear to come from a reputable source. The goal is to steal sensitive data like login information and credit card numbers.
Example: A phishing email might mimic a bank's communication, asking the recipient to update their account information through a fake website that captures their credentials.
Spear Phishing Spear phishing is a more targeted form of phishing, where the attacker customizes the attack to a specific individual or organization, often using information gathered from social media or other sources.
Example: An attacker sends a personalized email to a company executive, appearing to come from a known business partner, requesting sensitive financial data.
Baiting Baiting involves offering something enticing to the victim in exchange for information or access. This technique exploits human curiosity and greed.
Example: An attacker leaves an infected USB drive labeled "Confidential" in a public place, hoping an employee will pick it up and plug it into their computer.
Quid Pro Quo Quid pro quo attacks involve offering a service or benefit in exchange for information. This can often involve impersonating technical support.
Example: An attacker calls random employees, offering free IT support. During the interaction, the attacker asks for login credentials to "fix" a nonexistent problem.
Tailgating/Piggybacking Tailgating involves following an authorized person into a restricted area without proper credentials. Piggybacking is similar but often involves persuading the person to allow entry.
Example: An attacker waits for an employee to use their access card and then follows closely behind them into a secure building area.
Impersonation Impersonation involves pretending to be someone else to gain information or access. This could be done over the phone, via email, or in person.
Example: An attacker calls an employee pretending to be the CEO, demanding immediate action to address a supposed urgent issue.
Influence Tactics These include various psychological principles to manipulate the target, such as: •
Authority: Exploiting the target’s tendency to obey authority figures.
• Social Proof: Using the target’s tendency to follow the actions of others.
• Scarcity: Creating a sense of urgency by suggesting limited availability.
• Reciprocity: Leveraging the target's sense of obligation to return a favor.
Example: An attacker pretends to be a senior executive, using an authoritative tone to demand immediate action from a lower-level employee.