SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Social Engineering involves using non technical skills  or methods to have access to computer users information enough to cause damage, meaning social engineers could be likened to criminals whose major vision is to leverage on human weaknesses to strike. The tool required by social engineer is ASKING ASKING ASKING, No wonder the statement „“Instead of a Motto:“ You only have to ask“.

So in social engineering,  information about people are  gathered without  the use of technology.

As computer users in a networked world, it is important to know the techniques used by the Social Engineers to avoid falling victim because its a world of deception to gain undue advantage.

It is  world of little things counts for me when talking of Security and Privacy in this context, a world  where any action or inaction can be used against you in the future even immediately.

For example out of ignorance, a sticky paper used to  retrieve my lost account details such as password and username  not properly kept or trashed i the bin can sell me out and later be  used to wipe my hard earn money? Scary i thing? But it is true, it is a similar to a social engineering techniques called DUMPSTER DIVING.

May be to some computer users, the DUMPSTER DIVING technique for them is no tricky, but TAILGATING is also a disguise that any corporation can fall for, imagine a well suited fresh guy with fake invitation to a business or town hall meeting of a bank executives to discuss critical issues on the bank.  After having undue access to the information needed without carrying gun, the after effect could be bankruptcy.  Social engineering still all about deceit or robbing without carrying weapon.

SHOULDER STUFFING is another technique used by social engineers, remember that we are in a world of everybody turning into freelance journalist  with our mobile smartphones,  the same way social engineers could get  a snapshot of our abandoned Facebook page or even email box for vital information .  Imaging sleeping when already logged in to check account balance with Pin code card and other account details exposed in a room of social engineer, a glance or peep could be dangerous here.

The question is who is saved from the attack of social engineers? In a word, i will answer NOBODY, but some measures could be used to prevent falling victim

The simple answer or way to prevent being a victim is AWARENESS, computer users in a networked world needs to be aware that safety in this context depends on their actions or in-actions,  act they should know which data if leaked could sell them out and prevent it from leaking. Using Shredders to shred papers is awesome, CCTV in an apartment is cool and may be, covering our PCs with clothes when we need to log on with sensitive passwords and username to our internet bank is the way to go like Edward Snowden.

But the statement below has the most paramount message to prevent us being a victim of social engineers: Using the words of Confucius, "Education breeds confidence, confidence breeds hope and hope breeds peace", for peace or something related to peace in a networked world, security and privacy education  and training is a great tool for computer users.

Sources :

http://www.csoonline.com/article/2124681/security-awareness/social-engineering-the-basics.html

https://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Security_and_Privacy_in_a_Networked_World/