B 12 : PEOPLE HACKING: UNDERSTANDING HUMAN VULNERABILITIES

 

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN VULNERABILITIES
In the context of social engineering, understanding human vulnerabilities involves recognizing how our inherent traits and behaviors can be exploited by attackers
Here are some key aspects:
Trust:	Humans are inherently trusting, especially of those they consider part of their in-group. This can be exploited in social engineering attacks where the attacker poses as a trusted individual or entity
Curiosity:	Our natural curiosity can lead us to click on links or open files that we shouldn’t, especially if they’re presented in a compelling or intriguing way
Ignorance:	Not everyone is well-versed in the tactics used by social engineers, making them more susceptible to these types of attacks
Desire to Help:	Many people have a strong desire to help others, especially if they believe the person is in distress. Attackers can exploit this by posing as someone in need
Authority:	People tend to comply with requests from authority figures without question. Social engineers often impersonate bosses, law enforcement, or other figures of authority to trick their targets into complying with their requests
Reciprocity:	People tend to want to return a favour when someone helps them, which can be exploited in a social engineering attack
Social Validation	People often look to others for cues on how to behave. Attackers can use this tendency to manipulate individuals into taking actions they might not otherwise take.
Scarcity:	When something is scarce or time-limited, people are often compelled to act quickly without fully considering the consequences.
Fear:	Fear is a powerful motivator. Attackers often use scare tactics to rush individuals into providing sensitive information or granting access to systems
Laziness:	People often seek the path of least resistance, which can sometimes lead to lax security habits
By understanding these vulnerabilities, we can better protect ourselves and our organizations from social engineering attacks