Cybercriminals constantly improve their techniques, but the human element will always be their greatest growth lever. Cyber attacks are so sophisticated that the only way criminals can still get away with them is by tricking employees.
According to Verizon’s Data Breach Report for 2023, 74% of breaches involve a human factor.
The 2023 Gone Phishing Tournament tested over 1.3 million users and found that 1 in 10 employees fell for phishing schemes.
These numbers show that despite the technological advances in cybersecurity, human error or manipulations are still a major weakness that adversaries aim for.
Cybercriminals have been getting more creative in their attempts to capture unsuspecting workers at times of stress or weakness. Baiting is a type of Social Engineering that has caused havoc around the world.
This article will describe this cyber threat, its variations, how to recognize these attacks, and how to put in place measures to protect yourself against baiting.
What is baiting?
Baiting is an example of social engineering in which the perpetrator lures a victim by offering attractive rewards or offers. This tactic tricked the victim to unintentionally download malware onto their system or reveal confidential personal or organizational information.
An online ad that offers free software and leads the victim to install malware or a financial offer that entices them to complete an “urgent” task are examples of this type.
Baiting is done online and offline through different channels such as email, SMS, physical letters, and USB devices. The aim is to gain direct financial gain, access to sensitive information, or gain network access.
How Baiting Works
Baiting, like many cyber-threats, relies heavily upon urgency and scarcity. The product promised is nearly sold out or the task requested must be completed immediately in order to receive the reward. This psychological boost will encourage victims to overlook obvious signs.
Baiting is based on the human desire for something free or a general benefit like money, job advancement or in some cases just plain curiosity.
Understanding Different Baiting Types
There are several different types of baiting that will increase your success rate depending on the situation. To identify each version of baiting correctly, it is important to know the differences.
Malvertising
Malvertising, the oldest form of baiting on the Internet, is perhaps the most popular. False advertisements that promise great rewards are a powerful tool to promote scams. Cybercriminals take advantage of their victims’ inattention as they browse the internet.
Malvertising is also possible through other channels, such as SMS or email. Social media can also be used. Hackers create fake profiles pretending to run a contest for a company and tell users that they have won.
Spear baiting
This baiting is targeted at a particular organization and its employees. To identify possible baiting attempts, a lot of research is required to gain knowledge about workplaces.
This is a very effective method, as the criminals have a great deal of information that they can use to convince their victims.
The bait used in spear baiting is often a promise of financial gain. For example, a reward or higher rate of pay for completing a task more quickly.
Physical Baiting
Although most baiting occurs online, it can also be very effective in the physical world.
Hackers prey on human curiosity and nature by leaving a USB drive or QR code in a public area. They hope that someone will plug it in or scan the code to be taken to a malicious site or install malware directly on their computer.
Baiting attempts: How to identify them
The victim must fall for the baiting offer in order to make it work. If an offer seems too good to be real, it is probably a scam. It can be an unexpected windfall or prize, but it can also appear as a job or salary that is far above the market rate. You should also be extremely cautious and scrutinize any links or attachments in emails that you have not requested from people you do not know.
It’s best to confirm any requested information or task with the sender through another medium, even if it is from a source you trust. Physical baiting can be more difficult to detect, but it still works on large scales. In this case, the rule is simple: never plug an unknown USB drive into your computer, and always verify that a QR code comes from a trusted source before scanning it.
A Cyber Security Culture that is Against Baiting
Many people think that they are immune to tactics such as baiting. This false sense of security leads to higher success rates in this type of attack. Baiting attacks may not always be as obvious as an infamous Nigerian Prince or rich, long-lost relative. It becomes increasingly dangerous as baiting becomes subtler and more developed. Learning Cyber security is not enough to combat baiting, as it comes in many forms.
It’s also important to run regular simulations in order to understand this type of cyber-threat. These exercises will not only show you which employees are most vulnerable, but they will also help you to correct the situations or environments that made them susceptible to the attack.
Recommended Courses:
- Great Learning Post Graduate Programme in Cyber Security
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- CompTIA Security+
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
- Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate
Building Baiting Resiliency
Cyber criminals will always exploit human nature. No matter what industry or education level, it’s the only factor that is fallible in all workplaces.
Baiting is a way to take the idea of exploiting people’s nature one step further. It offers a reward that everyone wants. Cyber security programs may seem extreme at times, but threats such as baiting show how vigilant we must always be, both online and off.
