NATIONAL SOCIAL ENGINEERING DAY
August 6 celebrates National Social Engineering Day on the National Day Calendar. This National Day aims to raise awareness about social engineering threats and promote better cybersecurity practices. Join us as we explore the risks associated with sharing personal information online, learn to recognize sophisticated social engineering attempts, and discover practical tips to protect yourself and your data from cybercriminals.
#SocialEngineeringDay
Social engineering is a technique used by cybercriminals to manipulate people into disclosing sensitive information and compromising digital safety. These tactics can lead to unauthorized access to computers, financial accounts, or even direct monetary losses. On National Social Engineering Day, we emphasize the critical need for individuals and organizations to continuously safeguard their data against these bad actors.
Hackers leverage social engineering in more than 90% of cyberattacks. Social engineers are skilled manipulators who exploit human psychology through seemingly genuine interactions to gather compromising information about individuals or organizations. Attackers may pose as new employees, authority figures, or use multiple contacts within an organization to piece together sensitive data. This methodical approach allows them to accumulate enough information to cause significant harm.
5 Common Social Engineering Threats
Social engineering tactics vary and often exploit human emotions to prompt immediate action, tricking employees into unwittingly facilitating cybercrime. Recognizing these tactics is the first step to building a strong human defense. Some common forms of social engineering include:
Phishing - is when a cybercriminal attempts to acquire personal information through emails or texts that appear to come from a legitimate and reputable source.
Spear Phishing - occurs when a hacker targets specific individuals or organizations. This method is done after research on the target and has a specific personalized component.
Tailgating - is a method used to gain access to protected areas by waiting for an authorized individual to enter a secure building, then following immediately after to gain access.
Honeytrap - is a trick that targets mostly men by disguising as an attractive woman online to get them to reveal compromising information, which can then be used as blackmail against the individual or their organization.
Baiting - is a technique where attackers lure victims with tempting offers or seemingly harmless objects, such as free software downloads or USB drives, to entice them into engaging. The victim then unknowingly uses the device or installs malware, compromising device and network security.
5 Tips to Avoid Social Engineering Attacks
The majority of successful social engineering attacks are caused by human error. Cybercriminal's leverage social engineering tactics by exploiting trust and manipulating human instincts to gain unauthorized access to systems and data. Thus, the human component remains the weakest link but also the last line of defense in cybersecurity. By taking proactive measures, an organization can manage the threat of being hacked. There are a few simple steps you can take in the fight against being hacked:
Verify identities: Always confirm the identity of individuals requesting sensitive information, especially through unexpected communication methods. Use an alternative communication method from the original request to confirm.
Be cautious with downloads: Do not download unfamiliar attachments or software, especially from people outside your organization. When in doubt, consult your IT department to confirm if they sent the software.
Be skeptical of unexpected requests: Question urgent or unsolicited messages asking for immediate action, especially financial requests.
Practice email safety: Never click on links in emails from unknown senders without checking for masked destination URLs. Hover over links to check the URL before clicking.
Use multi-factor authentication: Implement this multi-layer security measure to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts against social engineering.
Remember, it is always better to take a moment to confirm suspicious requests than to fall victim to a social engineering attack.
SPREADING SOCIAL ENGINEERING AWARENESS
Show your support for National Social Engineering Day on August 6 by educating yourself and your organization. Hackers leverage social engineering tactics in an estimated 90% of cyberattacks, costing millions in damages. Education is key to safeguarding your data against any threat. Therefore, we believe it is essential to set aside a day dedicated to increasing public awareness and sharpening proactive measures. Share you tips and recommendations to beat social engineering attacks on social media using the hashtag #SocialEngineeringDay.
HISTORY BEHIND NATIONAL SOCIAL ENGINEERING DAY
National Social Engineering Day was established by KnowBe4 and approved by the National Day Calendar Registrar in 2024. Each year on August 6, National Social Engineering Day raises awareness about various social engineering threats and promotes better cybersecurity practices.
August 6 honors the birthday of Kevin Mitnick, the late Chief Hacking Officer of KnowBe4 and one of the world's most renowned hackers and social engineers. Mitnick's expertise and experiences highlight the importance of cybersecurity awareness. The late Kevin Mitnick was an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist who helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics.
Join us as we commemorate National Social Engineering Day by educating individuals and organizations about protecting themselves from hackers and scammers. Help us as we emphasize the critical need to safeguard personal and corporate information in our increasingly digital world.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4 provides the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform and is used by more than 65,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security. The organization specializes in raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense and trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.
Media Contact:
Kathy Wattman
SVP Public Relations, KnowBe4