How to Protect Your Organization from Social Engineering in 6 Important Steps

What is social engineering and how can it be a threat to your organization? 

Social engineering or “social hacking” as it is sometimes referred to, is a way in which people manipulate someone into revealing their confidential information such as passwords, account numbers, network access, or ID’s. As computer networks and programs improve their security, social engineering becomes more prevalent as a way to gain access to this restricted information, often shockingly easily. Rather than breaking into a computer system, they play psychological tricks 
to gain this information.

Some common ways people use social engineering might be posing as a repairman or company representative such as a financial advisor. Recently a teen in the US gained access to the CIA Director’s email by posing as a Verizon worker.

Social hackers may use phone, the web, or even face-to-face tactics to gain information. They might call you posing as a representative from your bank claiming that your account has been flagged for suspicious activity, and demand personal information to “verify” your identity. A hacker may even pose as a collections agency demanding payments and threatening to arrest you if you don’t pay. You may receive an email claiming to be from the IT dept of your own company requiring restricted information to perform audits or system tests. Some hackers are dedicated enough to gain employment at their target in order to gather privileged information.

So how do you protect yourself from these types of psychological attacks? By following some simple guidelines you can make sure your organization does not fall victim to social hackers.

1. Implement a policy at your organization and train all employees on proper security procedures. Empower them to take responsibility for your company's security by using critical thinking and creating a security aware culture. Require them to verify visitor IDs, and report suspicious activity.
2. Implement proper storage and disposal of sensitive documents. Locked filing cabinets, paper shredders, and high-end network security are your best practices.
3. Remember that it is not enough to have a strong password. Have different logins and passwords for different programs, change passwords often, and never reveal your password to anyone.
4. Stand your ground. If you suspect someone is attempting to use these tactics on you, do not give in to intimidation.
5. Damage control. If you suspect you may have fallen victim to a social engineering attack report the incident immediately to authorities, change all passwords, update your network software, and call your financial institutions or monitor your accounts.
6. Hire a private investigator to complete background checks on employees as well as to help you further protect your organization from hacking and fraud.

Social engineering is a common way to gain confidential information, however you can protect yourself and your organization by staying vigilant and following the steps outlined above.

The Renwick Group has experience working with many different types of businesses and organizations providing skip-tracing, fraud investigations, WSIB support, legal team assistance, evidence gathering, employee background checks, and more. We also work with individuals who need help with personal matters. Call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 or visit our website for information.

10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Fraud

Identity theft occurs when a person’s private identifying information is stolen for financial gain. An impostor will acquire key pieces of your personal information such as your social insurance number and drivers license … and impersonate you to commit fraud.

Here are some tips to protect yourself from identity theft:

1. Ask questions. If someone is asking you for personal information, question them. Don’t simply answer. Your personal information is protected by Canadian legislation such a PIPEDA, so don’t give it away without questioning the reasons.
2. Protect your pin. This seems simple, but it’s surprising how many people don’t do this! Shield the keypad every single time you enter your pin.
3. Guard your information online. Remember to clear your logins and passwords from your computer, and change your password, at minimum, once per month. Consider paying online with credit card rather than online payment services or debit. Credit card companies usually have guarantees to protect you.
4. Watch out for phishing scams. Be alert when you see “pop-ups” that seem like they’re from a bank. This scam will ask for your personal information which they will try to use to access your accounts.
5. Monitor your bank and credit statements. Keep an eye out for any suspicious purchases. You can go one step further and monitor your credit report through companies such as Equifax.
6. Shred sensitive information. Be careful with your personal information. Any piece of paper that has personal information – including your name, address, account numbers, identification numbers etc. – can be used to commit fraud. Don’t just throw it out on the street, shred the paper first. And this includes old credit and debit cards.
7. Secure your mail. This tip goes along with number 6! Be sure to shred or destroy all documents containing personal information. Especially that pre-approved credit card application that is mailed out.
8. Don’t give out your social insurance number. There are very few organizations that should ask for this information. More importantly, only give this information to organizations YOU have initiated contact with (like banks, employers and government.)
9. Only enter payments on secured sites. Look for the “paddock” symbol and sites that begin with “https.”
10. Use complicated passwords. There’s a reason why you can’t choose “1234” for pin codes. Unique complicated passwords will give you an extra layer of protection. Try to stay away from passwords that can be easily guessed (like your birthday or child’s name).

The Renwick Group has experience working with many different types of businesses and organizations providing skip-tracing, fraud investigations, WSIB support, legal team assistance, evidence gathering, employee background checks, and more. We also work with individuals who need help with personal matters. Call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 or visit our website for information.

2013 Personal Security Tips Against Identity Theft

Last year was a big year for identity theft.

 

From data breaches to new technology, identity thieves were quite active and show no signs of slowing down in 2013.

 

So why not make your new year’s resolution about protecting yourself from identity theft?

 

Here are some great examples of resolutions you can make to make sure your 2013 isn’t marred by a nasty case of identity theft.

 

Clear out your wallet: Many people carry items in their purse or wallet that leave them vulnerable to identity theft. Take the time to remove your important ID cards that you dont need to have with you all the time, your cheque book, passport, extra credit cards, and anything else with personal identifying information.

 

If you want to take this one step further, make an inventory of what is still left in your wallet so that if it is stolen you will easily be able to protect yourself from identity theft.

 

Give your computer a fresh start: There are all kinds of nasty viruses out there which identity thieves use to commit their crimes. The best line of defense against these crooks is to be sure that you have an up-to-date antivirus installed on your computer.

 

Make sure all of the recommended patches are also updated and that your wireless network has a good strong password.

 

Change your passwords: One of the best lines of defense against having an account takeover is a strong password. Take this fresh opportunity to change your old passwords and create stronger ones. Do not use words that can be found in the dictionary.

 

Hackers can run a program that goes through the entire dictionary very quickly and crack any password which can be found in the dictionary. Use numbers, upper and lower case letters, punctuation in your passwords. Don’t forget that the longer the password, the harder it is to crack.

 

Create different passwords on each of your accounts.

 

If you have trouble remembering all of these passwords you can look into using a password manager.

 

Monitor your credit reports: Should you become a victim of identity theft, one of the best ways to find out is by monitoring your credit reports. There are different credit reporting agencies and consumers can receive one report from each, every year.

 

If you stagger your free accounts and pull one every four months, you can monitor your credit for free.

 

Shred Everything: Invoices, receipts, bills, bank statements, account updates, utility bills, anything with your personal account infomation.

 

If you don't need them, don't through it in the garbage - invest in a quality shredder from Staples or Grand and Toy, and dispose of your shredded paper carefully.

 

So this year, give it a try and protect yourself from identity theft and have a wonderful new year.

 

From The Renwick Group - www.therenwickgroup.ca