Cybercriminals are constantly coming up with new ways to trick people into revealing sensitive information. Among the most common and effective tactics are social engineering and phishing attacks. Understanding what these threats look like-and how to defend against them-can help keep your personal and professional information safe.

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering attacks rely on manipulating human behavior rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities. Attackers may pose as coworkers, IT staff, or even delivery personnel to gain trust and extract information. They often gather small pieces of information from multiple sources to build credibility and eventually infiltrate networks or steal data.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a specific type of social engineering that uses deceptive emails or websites to trick users into sharing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details. For example, you might receive an email that looks like it’s from your bank, warning you of a problem and asking you to click a link or provide account information. If you respond, attackers can use that information to access your accounts.

Phishing attempts often take advantage of current events-like natural disasters, health scares, or major elections-to make their messages seem urgent and believable.

Other Forms: Vishing and Smishing

• Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls or VoIP to trick victims into revealing information. Attackers may spoof caller IDs to appear legitimate.

• Smishing (SMS phishing) uses text messages containing malicious links or requests for personal information. Because text messages can include clickable links, users may not realize they’re being targeted.

Common Signs of a Phishing Attempt

• Suspicious sender address: The email address may closely mimic a legitimate one, with subtle changes.

• Generic greetings: Messages that don’t address you by name, such as “Dear Customer.”

• Spoofed links: Hovering over links shows a different URL than what appears in the text.

• Poor spelling and grammar: Legitimate organizations usually proofread their communications.

• Unexpected attachments: Attachments from unknown senders can contain malware.

How to Protect Yourself

• Be cautious of unsolicited emails, calls, or visits asking for sensitive information.

• Never provide personal or financial information unless you’re certain of the requester’s identity.

• Don’t click links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious sources.

• Check website URLs for “https” and a padlock icon before entering sensitive data.

• Install and update antivirus software, firewalls, and email filters.

• Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) whenever possible.

• Use anti-phishing features in your email client and browser.

What To Do If You Think You’ve Been Targeted

• Report suspected incidents to your organization’s IT or security team.

• If you shared financial information, contact your bank immediately.

• Change any compromised passwords and monitor your accounts for unusual activity.

• Consider filing a report with the police and the Federal Trade Commission.

Staying vigilant and informed is your best defense against social engineering and phishing attacks. For more detailed information, visit the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s official guide: Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks (CISA, n.d.).