It takes daily interests to stay up-to-date on all the current and latest hacking threats. Most users, however, are not able to do so hence they may not realize the various ways through which their devices might be at risk. Phishing remains to be the easiest method to trick and compromise a user.
Spear phishing targets particular users using a malicious attachment. An example of such an attachment is an official document that gets enabled with macros or a Powershell script that can overtake the system of the user. Other technological experts also agree that phishing is the easiest way to capture natural targets by hackers and Cyber-Criminals.
Phishing witnesses innocent users getting tricked to click on some links that get sent via email or text. This technique is known as SmShing. The cost of the attack is low and requires a small technical ability by the attacker. Phishing can capture many targets in one sweep. Wireless hijacking or interception.
Wireless hijacking occurs when the attacker inputs malicious payloads into a target victim’s device. It also happens when the cybercriminal compromises internet traffic on the end-user’s device and reissues a command to install malware. The process of hijacking is quite simple because the tools involved are many and readily available. An example is a “wifi pineapple” which can cut into the end-user’s device through a wireless attack.
The attacker uses this tool to make the end user disconnect from the wifi network and connect to a similar one as the threat actor. This trick would then allow the attacker to input a malicious code to the end user’s device. However, wireless hijacking can only take place in close physical proximities but is not possible across broad geographical regions. SmShing is one of the two largest device hacking vectors, besides Phishing. Cell phones that allow side-loading of apps pose a threat of attack to the users.
SmShing attacks require end-users to click on malicious links that get sent through emails or texts. One common risk to SmShing is at the corporate level the BYOD policy that involves end-users carrying their mobile phones to their workplaces. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones being available to many institutions are risky in the case whereby there are no restrictions on accessing the company email on such devices. This BYOD policy increases the organizational risk whereby one successful end-user attack can enable the attacker to bring down an entire corporate business.
The threat of impersonation is used in most cases to change and reset passwords, change control of phone numbers and get over other security policies. For example, an attacker may target a particular carrier to hijack a cell phone number. The attacker can then compromise the two-factor authentication messages or tokens. This is a straightforward way of interception and does not require the cybercriminal to have a high technical skill or ability.
If the attacker can manage to get VPN credentials to a business network through a phone call, he or she does not require hacking any device at all. Instead, he can probably log in as a legal user and make away with very crucial information. Individuals pretending to be legal entities conduct most of the end-user attacks.
Attackers with just a little amount of open source intelligence gathering can access adequate information to pose like a boss, a bank, a friend or a customer who has a regular request. Most people put themselves at a risk of impersonation by carelessly sharing their private or personal details without questioning.
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