Today I wanted to talk about social engineering as it’s often where people are most vulnerable when it comes to their own security online, but it’s also the place where people are often least educated.
If you’re a small business owner, cybersecurity is something you can’t afford to ignore, especially with the rising prevalence of social engineering attacks. Please take a couple of minutes to read through the below. Please reach out if you have any questions:
What is Social Engineering?
Social engineering is a set of techniques used by cybercriminals to manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information. It could be as simple as pretending to be your IT department and asking for your login details or as sophisticated as an elaborate story that involves multiple steps to trick you into breaking normal security procedures.
How OSINT Comes Into Play
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is any publicly available information about you. While the term might sound fancy, it includes any data that is open to the public—your social media profiles, company website, and even online interviews. Cybercriminals often use OSINT to research their targets and personalise their attacks.
Why Small Business Owners Should Care
As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you are a prime target for scammers. Why? You often wear multiple hats and are responsible for a variety of roles within your business, including security. This makes you susceptible to making a quick, uninformed decision, which is a prime opportunity for social engineers.
What you should do.
- Audit your OSINT – Take a moment to review what you’ve shared online. Do a Google search and use tools like https://osintframework.com/. Could any of that information be useful to someone trying to manipulate you or guess your passwords? If the answer is yes, consider scrubbing or limiting access to that data.
- Get yourself educated – Do some reading about social engineering and cybersecurity to make sure your education is up to date and you are best protected. Share these resources with your staff and stakeholders.
- Subscribe to my newsletter – I share a lot of technology and security tips and advice for small business owners. If you’d like to be added to the list, please consider subscribing.
The best way to defend against social engineering attacks is to be aware of the techniques and to always be vigilant. No cybersecurity software can protect you if you unknowingly give away your password.
Keep your business safe by keeping yourself informed. Stay tuned for more articles and tips on cybersecurity for small businesses.