1.2 Compare and contrast types of attacks Flashcards
Social engineering(CAP 6)
is the practice of using social tactics to gain
information. It’s often low- tech and encourages individuals to do something they wouldn’t normally do, or cause them to reveal some piece of information, such as user credentials.
Some of the individual methods and
techniques include:
• Using flattery and conning
• Assuming a position of authority
• Encouraging someone to perform a risky action
• Encouraging someone to revealsensitive information
• Impersonating someone,such as an authorized technician
• Tailgating or closely following authorized personnel without
providing credentials
Authority (Chapter
Many people have grown up to respect authority and are more likely to
comply when a person of authority says to do so.
Using authority is most effective with impersonation,
whaling, and vishing attack
Intimidation
In some cases, the attacker attempts to intimidate the victim into taking
action. Intimidation might be through bullying tactics, and it is often
combined with impersonating someone else. Using intimidation is most
effective with impersonation and vishing attacks.
Consensus
People are often more willing to like something that other people like.Some attackers take advantage of this by creating web sites with fake testimonials that promote a product.
Using consensus, sometimes called social proof, is most effective with
Trojans and hoaxes.
Scarcity
People are often encouraged to take action when they think there is a limited quantity.
Familiarity
If you like someone, you are more likely to do what the person asks. This principle is most effective with
shoulder surfing and tailgating attacks.
Trust
In addition to familiarity, some social engineers attempt to build a trusting relationship
between them and the victim. This often takes a little time, but the reward for the criminal can be worth it. Vishing attacks often use this method.
Urgency
Some attacks use urgency as a technique to encourage people to take action now. As an example, the ransomware uses the scarcity principle with a countdown timer. Victims typically have 72 hours to pay up before they lose all their data. Each time they look at their computer, they’ll see the timer
counting down.
Using urgency is most effective with ransomware, phishing, vishing, whaling, and hoaxes.
Vishing
THOSE attacks use the phone system to trick users into giving up personal and financial information. It often uses Voice over IP (VoIP) technology and tries to trick the user similar to other phishing attacks. When the attack uses VoIP, it can spoof caller ID, making it appear as though the call came from a real company
Tailgating
is the practice of one person following closely behind another without showing credentials. For example, if Homer uses a badge to gain access to a secure building and Francesca follows closely behind Homer
without using a badge, Francesca is tailgating.
Impersonation
The goal is to convince an authorized user to provide some information, or help the attacker defeat a security control.
As an example:
an attacker can impersonate a repair technician to gain
access to a server room or telecommunications closet
Dumpster diving
is the practice of searching through trash or recycling
containers to gain information from discarded documents. Many organizations eithershred or burn paper instead of throwing it away.
Shoulder surfing
is simply looking over the shoulder of someone to
gain information. The goal is to gain unauthorized information by casual observation, and it’s likely to occur within an office environment. This can be to learn credentials, such as a username and password, or a PIN used for a smart card or debit card.
Recently, attackers have been using cameras to monitor locations where users enter PINs, such as at automatic teller machines (ATMs)
method used to reduce shoulder surfing is to use a screen filte AND POSITION MONITORS.
Hoax
is a message, often circulated through email, that tells of impending doom from a virus or other security threat that simply doesn’t
exist. Users may be encouraged to delete files or change their system
configuration.
Watering hole attack
attempts to discover which web sites a group of
people are likely to visit and then infects those web sites with malware that
can infect the visitors.