Phishing and Social Engineering: Attack Methods and Defense
Phishing and social engineering guide: mass, spear, whaling, BEC, smishing, vishing, QR and AiTM. Cialdini, DMARC, FIDO2 MFA, awareness.
Summary: Manipulating people rather than systems using psychological principles such as authority, urgency, and reciprocity. Tools: phishing (email), vishing (phone), smishing (SMS), pretexting, baiting. Unlike an insider threat, the attacker comes from outside the organization and uses deception to gain access. 91% of all cyberattacks begin with social engineering.
Sources & References
- [1] APWG Phishing Activity Trends Report 2024 - APWG
- [2] BSI Lagebericht zur IT-Sicherheit 2024 - BSI
- [3] Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2024 - Verizon
- [4] Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) Trends Report - APWG
Questions about this topic?
Our experts advise you free of charge and without obligation.
About the Author
M.Sc. IT-Sicherheit mit über 5 Jahren Erfahrung in offensiver Sicherheitsanalyse. Leitet die Durchführung von Penetrationstests mit Spezialisierung auf Web-Applikationen, Netzwerk-Infrastruktur, Reverse Engineering und Hardware-Sicherheit. Verantwortlich für mehrere Responsible Disclosures.