Avoiding Social Engineering
Here are some tips on how to avoid social engineering traps:
- Avoid impulsive actions. Social engineering is designed to get you to respond instantly without thinking. By avoiding impulsive actions you can give yourself time to think it through.
- Be suspicious of unsolicited contact. If you receive an email, phone call, or text message from someone you don’t know, be wary. Attackers often try to contact people out of the blue in order to catch them off guard.
- Don’t give out personal information. Never give out your personal information to someone you don’t know and trust. This includes things like your name, address, phone number, Social Security number, and credit card number.
- Be wary of requests for money or gifts. If someone asks you for money or gifts, especially if you don’t know them well, be wary. Attackers often try to trick people into giving them money or gifts by pretending to be someone they’re not.
- Do your research. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of something, do your research. Look up the company or organization online and see if they have a good reputation. You can also check with friends and family to see if they’ve heard of the company or organization.
- Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Strong passwords and two-factor authentication can help to protect your accounts from being hacked. Use different passwords for different accounts and make sure your passwords are strong and difficult to guess. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring you to enter a code from your phone in addition to your password when you log in.
- Be careful about what information you share online. Don’t overshare personal information on social media or other websites. Be careful about what links you click on and what attachments you open.
Here are some additional Social Engineering Tips:
- Educate yourself about social engineering attacks. The more you know about social engineering attacks, the better equipped you will be to spot them. There are many resources available online and in libraries that can teach you about social engineering attacks.
- Be skeptical. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be skeptical of any offers or claims that seem too good to be true.
- Take your time. Don’t feel pressured to make a decision right away. Take your time to think about any offer or claim before you take any action.
- Trust your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is. If you have a bad feeling about something, don’t do it.
