Social engineering is one of the fastest growing cyber crimes as offenders are more adept in targeting people’s confidential information. Criminals use social engineering because it exploits human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities.

Here are a few reasons why it's effective:

1. Manipulation of Trust: Social engineers often impersonate trusted figures or organizations, making it easier to deceive targets into sharing sensitive information.

2. Lack of Awareness: Many people are not trained to recognize social engineering tactics, making them more susceptible to scams.

3. Emotional Triggers: Criminals often create a sense of urgency or fear, prompting victims to act quickly without thinking.

4. Cost-Effectiveness: It requires less technical skill and fewer resources compared to hacking systems directly.

5. High Success Rate: By leveraging social interactions, criminals can bypass complex security measures that rely on technology alone.

How do cyber criminals use my information?

A good social engineer will often take weeks or months getting to know a company through a variety of ways. Scouring the major social media sites and business websites for bits of personal information about you are easy wins.

Unsecured, public profiles are the most useful, but even if you keep your privacy settings on high, there’s no guarantee that a family member or close acquaintance might not have shared information about you on their profiles.

How can my business fall victim to a social engineering attack?

Another way in which a cybercriminal can find information on you is by researching other organisations you’re affiliated with, for example, local charities or perhaps you sit on a local board. Personal details send strong signals about your interests and the types of appeals that might be most effective on you.

On a more conspiratorial note, someone you know from a company may be recruited to infiltrate your activities, or industrial espionage specialists may profile you through the internet and get to know your preferences, hobbies, contacts, and friends.

Overall, social engineering is a powerful tool because it targets the human element, which is often the weakest link in security.

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