Hackers use quid pro quo social engineering to attack businesses and regular people, often through email or SMS. In its simplest form, QPQ means something given or received for something else, while social engineering is the act of manipulating humans. Knowing how to avoid them is key to dodging more harmful activities.
Types of QPQ Social Engineering Attacks
There are many forms of QPQ social engineering, and each tactic aims to gain insider information by manipulating individuals into trusting whatever the source claims. Methods of attack are expanding, especially with generative AI on the rise.
AI isn’t going anywhere, so professionals should be able to recognize these three common social engineering attack methods.
1. Baiting Scheme
Baiting is a social engineering attack aiming to inflict malware on a system. To reach their target, the scammer uses a false promise to trick victims into downloading or clicking an ad. Common forms include fake lottery websites, enticing ads and emails.
Physical media is often used in baiting to disperse malware. Scammers leave or plant malware-infected flash drives, hoping victims will insert them into their computer systems.
2. Phishing Scheme
Cybercriminals use phishing to acquire sensitive information by disguising themselves as trustworthy sources. Messages are usually sent through email, texting or phone.
There are three types of phishing — email phishing, spear phishing and smishing. Email phishing is a fake email sent from what appears to be a legitimate source, spear phishing targets specific individuals or brands, and smishing is sent through SMS.
3. Pretexting
Pretexting consists of creating fake scenarios to gain access to unauthorized information. Attackers play with victims’ emotions, tricking them into making purchases, granting access or sharing information.
Pretexting is often a “too good to be true” scenario, an enticing ad or a cryptocurrency scam. According to the 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, pretexting incidents comprised 50% of social engineering attacks.
How to Avoid a QPQ Attack
Quid pro quo social engineering attacks can be complex and well disguised. After all, hackers are paid to trick people. To be prepared for QPQ attempts, know what to look for — and what to do.
Monitor Emails
Corporate professionals and IT teams should stay up to date with their inboxes to ensure there is no suspicious activity. Nearly one-third of professionals have fallen victim to a fraudulent email. These emails are often well disguised, so having a clean inbox makes tracking activity easier.
Ask Questions
If something seems suspicious, ask for clarification or specific questions. The sender should be able to back themselves up if they’re making a claim or asking for something.
Even better, you can break off the conversation and try another method of contacting the company the sender claims to be representing. The suspicious sender may be able to spin a convincing story, but they can’t stop you from going to the source. Calling the company directly or reaching out to an official email can help put you in contact with a definite representative of the company. If they have no knowledge of the person who contacted you or the issue you were contacted about, it’s safe to say it was a scam.
Conduct Regular Software Updates
Updating IT software is a key component of internet safety and security. Old systems and technologies are much easier to hack than new software packed with security updates. In addition to newer machines, employees should regularly update their work devices.
Train Employees
The most trustworthy team members are still risk factors if not correctly trained. Set up safety training procedures from onboarding to leadership — all should know what’s happening in the cybercrime world.
Implement Safety Procedures
Many security measures can be taken to limit social engineering attempts. One of the most effective is multifactor authentication (MFA). This makes it difficult for hackers to break into accounts by requiring more than a password.
More than 99.9% of accounts that were hacked didn’t have MFA, highlighting their success rate. Creating strong passwords and enforcing corporate policies and procedures are also effective measures.
Run Tests
Create and run routine tests to ensure IT security systems are working properly. This could include simulating a phishing attack email or sending out a pretext. No matter the method, follow through on the results.
Back Up All Important Data
If an individual or team’s software is infected by a QPQ social engineering attack, the company’s private data is at risk. To ensure access to data even after a scam attempt, implement a system to back up or restore it.
Protect IT Security Systems From Hackers
IT teams must implement security practices into their cybersecurity strategies to avoid and recognize quid pro quo attacks. Social engineering can cause a ripple effect in any enterprise, leading to data breaches, malware installation, financial loss and compromised systems. Although cyberattacks are common, taking proper safety precautions and understanding what’s at stake can save IT teams — and their data.
