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1.2.1 Social Engineering

Comptia Security + 501 1.2 Compare and contrast types of attacks (Important Study Focus!) 1.2.1 Social Engineering

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Phishing

The practice of sending email to users with the purpose of tricking them into revealing personal information or clicking on a link.

Spear Phishing

A targeted form of phishing. Spear phishing attacks attempt to target specific groups of users, such as those within a specific organization, or even a single user.

Whaling

A form of spear phishing that attempts to target high-level executives. When successful. attackers gain confidential company information that they might not be able to get anywhere else.

Vishing

The fraudulent practice of making phone calls or leaving voice messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.

Tailgating

A social engineering attack where one person follows behind another person without using credentials. Man-traps help prevent tailgating.

Impersonation

The act of pretending to be someone else, or even another host, in order to wage an attack on a victim system, network, or person.

Dumpster Diving

The practice of searching through trash looking to gain information from discarded documents. Shredding or burning papers helps prevent the success of dumpster diving.

Shoulder Surfing

The practice of looking over someone’s shoulder to obtain information, such as on a computer screen. A screen filter placed over a monitor helps reduce the success of shoulder surfing.

Hoax

A message, often circulated through email, that tells of impending doom from a virus or other security threat that simply doesn’t exist.

Watering Hole Attack

An attack method that infects web sites that a group is likely to trust and visit.

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