COMPUTER RICH is often asked, “How did my computer get infected with malware?” Unfortunately, the answer is often, “Because you gave it permission to come in.”

That is why COMPUTER RICH is talking about SOCIAL ENGINEERING this month instead of a particular piece of malware. “Social engineering” is the art of manipulating people so they will perform certain acts or give up confidential information freely. In other words, you got tricked, YO!
Take this scenario… You are headed into work and as you walk through the parking lot, you spot a USB flash drive lying on the ground that someone MUST have dropped “accidentally“, or did they? What do you think most people would do when they got to their desk? The answer is invariable; plug it into their computer to see what’s on it. Yep, we’re nosy like that!WHAM! You just got infected! This is a prime example of “Social Engineering” and one of the reasons why some businesses forbid “unauthorized” flash drives or disable the USB ports on your PC. There are many types of “Social Engineering“, an e-mail from a “trusted friend”, an e-mail from your “bank” asking to verify your log-in credentials or that “Java” update that pops up on your desktop. They all have one thing in common… YOU! You are the “Social” in “Social Engineering“. “Social Engineering” is not possible without your involvement. These tactics simply cannot work without YOU. So, what can you do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of “Social Engineering“? Become informed, Grasshopper! Pay attention to what you are doing and take nothing for granted. Don’t be a victim. The following article from “WEBROOT” will enlighten you and give you some ideas on what to look for..

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up confidential information. The types of information these criminals are seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted the criminals are usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank information or access your computer to secretly install malicious software that will give them access to your passwords and bank information as well as giving them control over your computer…