Have you ever received a message like this? “Your account has been compromised,” “your package could not be delivered,” “you received a credit of $2,000 on your Paypal.” How did that make you feel? Anxious? Excited? Maybe even a bit panicked? These types of SMiShing attacks are designed to trigger your emotions and prompt an immediate reaction. I’ve often heard people say, “You must be a fool to fall for something like this.” However, emotional triggers in social engineering attacks exploit a wide range of emotions – such as fear, greed, sympathy, curiosity, and authority. These emotions can temporarily suspend critical thinking and lead to impulsive actions. Let’s consider some of the most common emotional triggers in social engineering attacks.
Fear
Fear is one of the most powerful tools in social engineering. It’s often used to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information or perform an action that they otherwise would not. By evoking fear, attackers create a sense of urgency and panic, compelling their targets to act quickly without considering the consequences. For example, phishing emails might threaten severe consequences such as account suspension or data breaches, prompting the recipient to click on malicious links or share sensitive information to avert the perceived threat.
Greed
Greed is frequently leveraged in social engineering attacks to exploit individuals’ desires for financial gain or material benefits. Attackers craft schemes that promise significant rewards, such as receiving a large inheritance or benefiting from an exclusive investment opportunity. By appealing to the target’s greed, attackers create an allure that overrides caution and critical thinking. Victims are then lured into providing personal information, transferring money or downloading malicious software in the hope of obtaining the promised reward.
Sympathy
While sympathy is not an emotion, it leads to feeling pity or sorrow for another person. Sympathy is often used to gain trust and elicit cooperation from targets. Attackers create scenarios that evoke empathy and compassion. For instance, a fraudulent email might depict a heartbreaking story and ask for financial assistance or sensitive information. This exploitation of human kindness can lead individuals to act against their better judgment, revealing information or resources they would normally protect.
Curiosity
Curiosity is another component used by attackers to lure individuals into actions that compromise security. By presenting intriguing content, such as an unexpected email with a vague but captivating subject line, a hidden link, or an attachment labeled as confidential or urgent, attackers pique the target’s interest. The natural human desire to uncover unknown information leads individuals to click on links, download files, or explore suspicious messages, without fully considering the risks.
Authority
Authority is often used in social engineering to compel individuals to comply with requests or commands without question. Attackers impersonate figures of authority such as executives, IT administrators, law enforcement officers or government officials, to exploit the inherent respect and obedience people tend to show toward those in positions of power. Invoking authority makes targets feel pressured to act promptly, wanting to demonstrate compliance. For example, an email from a supposed CEO demanding urgent financial transfers, or IT administrator requesting login credentials for security purposes.
Protect Yourself
One of the most effective social engineering tactics is to get you to react without thinking things through. Therefore, the most powerful weapon against social engineering attacks is critical thinking. Given the emotional nature of these attacks, there may not be a specific tool or process that can prevent us from falling victim to human vulnerability. Being aware of such vulnerability enables you to pause and think of the request. Ask yourself, is this request reasonable? Why are they asking this of me? Should I do this? At times, a social engineering attack can sound “reasonable.” Even if that’s the case, you should still allow yourself time to pause. Take a few minutes to let your emotions cool off before taking action. Austrian neurologist and holocaust survivor Victor Frankl once said, “Between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose.”
Remember that the goal of a social engineering attack is to use your emotions against you, to elicit a reaction based on your emotional state. As you pause and allow space between “stimulus and response,” you can empower yourself to choose wisely.
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Written by Rosa Rowles
Human Risk Analyst