Understanding Pretexting Pretexting is a form of social engineering where an attacker creates a fabricated scenario (or pretext) to engage a targeted victim into providing their personal or sensitive information. This tactic can take many forms, such as impersonating someone in order to gain trust and extract information. Key Differences from Other Options Spear Phishing: Targets specific individuals or organizations through fraudulent emails that often appear legitimate. Vishing: Involves voice phishing, where attackers use phone calls to trick individuals into divulging personal information. Fake Pop-up: Involves malicious software displaying fake alerts or warnings to trick users into providing information or downloading harmful software. Why Pretexting is Effective Pretexting is effective because it leverages psychological manipulation and trust. Attackers carefully construct a believable story that makes the target feel that providing their information is necessary and safe. This method involves: Researching the target to build a convincing narrative. Creating urgency to prompt quicker responses. Using familiar or trusted references to enhance credibility. Further Exploration To understand more about pretexting and other social engineering tactics, consider the following resources: CISecurity - Social Engineering Attacks IBM - Social Engineering Prevention Norton - What is Pretexting?

Understanding Pretexting

of 1

Description

Almost There!

Free up your schedule!

Take 5 seconds to unlock