Spear phishing and voice phishing (vishing) are on the rise in the trucking industry, according to a new report from the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). “Spear phishing is still one of the most effective tools attackers have to breach networks,” the report says.

I am not scared of AI. What I mean is that I do not think AI is going to kill humanity Terminator-style. I think AI is going to be responsible for more cybercrime and more realistic phishing messages, but it is already pretty bad. Social engineering, without AI, is already involved in 70% - 90% of successful cyber attacks.

Social engineering is a technique commonly used by adversaries to manipulate individuals or groups of people into divulging confidential information, performing certain actions, or giving up access to valuable resources. These attacks can take many forms and are typically carried out through electronic communication channels or in-person interactions.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, social engineering remains a potent and insidious method employed by cybercriminals. Unlike traditional hacking techniques that exploit software vulnerabilities, social engineering manipulates human psychology to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

The year 2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the realm of social engineering. As AI capabilities grow exponentially, so too do the opportunities for bad actors to harness these advancements for more sophisticated and potentially damaging social engineering attacks. Let's explore the top 10 expected AI developments of 2024 and their implications for cybersecurity.

CISA sent out a warning about a Russian advanced persistent threat (APT) called Star Blizzard warning about their long-game social engineering tactics. They create fake email and social media accounts, contact their potential victims, talk about a non-threatening subject to gain the victim’s confidence, and wait to launch their malicious attack. I call this long-game social engineering.

Czech and Ukrainian police have arrested six individuals responsible for a call center-based vishing scam designed to trick victims into thinking they were already victims of fraud. Imagine getting a call on your mobile phone from your bank. The caller ID shows the number you have saved in your contacts, so it must be your bank, right? The person on the other end tells you your account has been compromised and the remaining funds must be moved to a safe account. Sounds legit?

In a world where virtual communication has become an integral part of our lives, the risk of falling victim to phishing and social engineering attacks is higher than ever. Are you confident in your ability to spot a phishing attempt or defend yourself against a skilled social engineer? This post will guide you through understanding phishing and social engineering virtual communication awareness and our learnings from advising customers and empowering you to stay vigilant in the digital landscape.