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Sonnie talks about Social Engineering

 

Social Engineering (SE) is one of the favorite schemes of cyber criminals to con people. If employees are not given proper training about SE , companies will fall  to cybercrime. Likewise,  if parents are unaware, they and the kids will be victims of negative experience, if not cybercrime. 

 

But what is social engineering?

 

It’s not a new bachelor’s degree, haha. It’s an act where a social engineer entices a person to do something that will benefit him or her. Several examples of this in the Philippines are as follows:

  • You received an SMS message informing you that you have won on a raffle, and you are requested to call or text a certain number. And after doing so, you were instructed to purchase cellphone loads for a specific number
  • You received an email from a friend or relative, informing you that they’re abroad and was held-up, and requesting you to send money to a specific bank account.
  • You were befriended by a stranger on Facebook and enticing you to be in a relationship w/ him or her, eventually asking you to either send money or engage in cyber sex.

As I always say share in my talk “walang mang-uuto, kung walang mag-papauto”, because  social engineering is about conning another person.

 

social engineering, cyber abuse and cyber crime

 

Social engineering, cyber abuse and cyber crime are like brothers and partners in crime. An act of cyber abuse and cybercrime cannot be consummated without the aid of social engineering.

  • A person spreading malware or virus cannot do it unless s/he will trick an unsuspecting user to click a link, or download an app, or give permission to access his Facebook or other social media account.
  • A person will not be a victim of sextorsion if s/he will not be tricked to do something in front of a web cam.

social engineering and  cyber bullying

A social engineer is like a troll, he can start a hate campaign. But a social engineer is more classy and finesse. Because the act is  (1) subtle, (2) it’ll cause the likely victim to express displeasure or dislike to another person or group, leading to cyber mob.

A social engineer is like a puppet master, controlling someone else’s behaviour thru manipulation.

Have you witnessed a social engineer in action? Care to share your experience?

 

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