Impersonation attacks are increasing at an alarming rate. Cybercriminals are leveraging the power of social engineering to bypass the most secure systems. Whether it’s a fake boss, friend, or family member, these attacks may slip through quite easily and often unnoticed. So, what is an impersonation attack and how can we identify the fakes?
What is an impersonation attack?
An impersonation attack is a targeted cyberattack that uses social engineering. The hacker will assume the identity of someone you trust in an attempt to deceive or manipulate you. This attack does not use fancy malware or hacking tools. Instead, it focuses on exploiting psychology and human error. Attackers can use email, phone calls, text messages, social media to design messages that seem familiar or urgent resulting in you sharing sensitive information, transferring money, or installing malware.
Types of impersonation attacks
There are various types of impersonation attacks, and it is important that you understand what they are so you can recognize and prevent them. Here are three of the most common types:
- CEO fraud (business email compromise). Attackers can pose as senior executives, such as the CEO, to trick employees into making fraudulent payments. This tactic is often used in fast-paced environments and can be very successful for the cybercriminals.
- Tech support scams. Attackers can pretend to be technical support consultants and convince you that they can assist you with an urgent problem relating to your account or your device. Once they have access, they will proceed with their malicious activities.
- Friend or family impersonation. The attackers can pretend to be a close friend or family member that urgently needs you help. This attack uses an emotional angle which is incredibly effective.
Impersonation attacks are effective because they use psychological manipulation, sophisticated tactics, and are difficult to detect.
How to spot an impersonation attack
It is important that you are able to recognize an impersonation attack so that you can prevent becoming the next victim. Here are a few signs that you can look out for:
- Unexpected urgency: Any urgent request that seems to appear “out of the blue” should be double-checked. Attackers use urgency to catch us off guard and convince us to provide sensitive information.
- Unfamiliar contact methods: If someone you “know” suddenly contacts you using a different method, such as via email when they usually text you, then it could be an impersonation attempt.
- Requests for money or sensitive information: Any requests for money or personal data should be cause for concern. Legitimate people and companies will rarely ask for this kind of action via email or text without a formal communication prior to the request.
How you can protect yourself
Here are five steps that you can use to help prevent these attacks:
- Verify requests. If you are contacted about something urgent that you need to respond to, take a moment to verify that the requestor is who they say they are. For instance, call the person directly on a number that you already have.
- Use MFA. Multifactor authentication, or MFA, makes it harder for an attacker to access your account even when they have your password.
- Limit sharing your personal information. Try to reduce the amount of personal information that you share on social media platforms. Cybercriminals often use the information you share as part of their attack.
- Use email security tools. There are great tools available to help detect and prevent impersonation attacks. Consider investing in an email tool that is AI-enabled to assist with fraud detection and alerting on suspicious activity.
- Be aware. Ensure that you understand the basics of cybersecurity. You can begin with understanding how to recognize phishing attacks and build your awareness from there. From a corporate perspective, you can implement simulated phishing training as part of the awareness strategy.
The future of impersonation attacks
AI is really beginning to change the security landscape. AI can make impersonation attacks harder to detect by using deepfakes, AI-generated voices, and more to execute an attack and make it more convincing.
But if you can understand how to recognize cyberattacks, you can prevent becoming the next victim. Don’t forget to share your knowledge with those around you. Be secure!
