Outsmarting Blaggers: How to Beat Social Engineers at Their Own Game

Social engineering attacks are on the rise. Hackers increasingly rely on these types of scams to bypass security measures and access sensitive data. While technical defenses like firewalls and encryption protect systems, the weakest link is often the human element.

That’s why understanding social engineering is so crucial. One common technique you need to watch for is blagging. What exactly is blagging? How does it work and how can you defend against it? This blog reveals everything you need to know about spotting and stopping blaggers in their tracks.

What is Blagging?

Blagging refers to when an attacker uses deception and manipulation to trick someone into handing over confidential information. The blagger will make up whatever story they need to in order to convince a target to reveal data.

This data could then be used for things like:

• Identity theft
• Corporate espionage
• Blackmail
• Financial fraud
• Social engineering scams

Blagging exploits human psychology. Blaggers are masters of persuasion and will say whatever it takes to build trust and get what they’re after.

It’s important not to underestimate this threat. While blagging may not involve advanced technology, it can still cause serious harm. This low-tech social engineering attack has taken down many well-meaning victims.

How Blagging Works: Common Techniques

Blaggers use a variety of sneaky tactics to trick their targets. Here are some of the most common blagging techniques:

1. Impersonation: The blagger pretends to be someone else like a fellow employee, police officer, bank representative, or IT technician. They do this to build trust so the target is more likely to comply with their request. For example, they may call posing as a service desk worker needing a password to fix an issue. Or they’ll claim to be from the fraud department requiring account access to verify suspicious activity.
2. Phishing: Blaggers will send phishing emails loaded with malware to gain access to systems and steal data. The emails are carefully crafted to look like they’re from a trusted source to fool the target into clicking suspicious links or downloads.
3. Quid Pro Quo: The blagger promises something in return for data, like money, gift cards, or days off work. They have no intention of providing what they offered, but dangle incentives to manipulate the target.
4. Name Dropping: Blaggers will mention names or details like case numbers or manager contacts to make their request sound valid. This lends credibility so the target doesn’t think to double check.
5. Sympathy Pleas: The blagger will appeal to the target’s compassion, making up sob stories about sick family members, military service, or financial hardship. This prey on emotions to get the target to lower defenses.
6. False Urgency: By creating high-pressure situations insisting the request is urgent, blaggers try to fast track compliance before the target scrutinizes the validity. Threatening account closures or legal actions pushes targets to act rashly.
7. Elicitation: Blaggers will try engaging in friendly chit chat to get targets to inadvertently reveal pieces of sensitive information. Since it seems harmless, the target doesn’t realize the scoping questions are a scheme.

Real-World Blagging Examples

To understand how blagging works, let’s look at some real-world examples.

1. Neighborly Blagger: A blagger pretending to be a friendly neighbor tricked residents of an apartment complex into letting him inside. Once in the building, he stole deliveries and broke into units. Using a deception about a lost dog, he exploited people’s inclination to help to gain illegal building access.
2. Corporate Blagging: Private investigators hired by HP in the famous pretexting scandal blagged phone company employees into releasing call records of board members. The PIs posed as members needing their own records to obtain private information about executives and journalists.
3. Romance Blagging: In online romance scams, blaggers build relationships under false pretenses to eventually manipulate targets into giving them money. They craft elaborate identities and life stories, gaining affection to exploit their victims. The FBI reports these scams cost people millions annually.

Who Do Blaggers Target?

Blaggers cast a wide net, knowing anyone might fall prey given the right manipulation. Some common targets include:

• Businesses — Customer service, technical support, and HR staff often have access to sensitive data prized by blaggers. Larger corporations with thousands of employees and complex systems offer more potential victims. Healthcare, finance, tech, and retail are frequent targets.
• Government Agencies — Blaggers seek confidential information from government systems like employee records, utility plans, security details, legal documents, and classified intel. Local, state, and federal agencies have all been compromised before.
• Celebrities — Wealthy figures like politicians, actors, athletes, and musicians get targeted for financial account details, insider information, personal dirt, and more. Their prominence puts them in the spotlight.
• Everyday People — No one is immune to blagging. By posing as bankers, tech support, police, or even friends in need, scammers can manipulate regular people too. They know anyone might slip up under the right pressure.

Staying vigilant across the board is important, as blaggers seek out the low hanging fruit. Now let’s look at how to mount a strong defense.

Ways Companies Can Defeat Blaggers

Blagging may seem like an inevitable threat, but there are key steps companies can take to avoid falling victim.

1. Establish Clear Security Policies: Create formal guidelines detailing appropriate practices for handling requests, account access, confidential data, and verification procedures. Policies empower employees to confidently challenge suspicious activities.
2. Limit Account Access: Restrict access through role-based permissions so no single person has keys to everything. Compartmentalization contains damage from compromised accounts.
3. Implement Layered Security: Use overlapping controls like firewalls, 2FA, encryption, endpoint security, and URL filtering so there are multiple hurdles for blaggers.
4. Monitor Behavior: Watch for telltale signs like attempts to access unauthorized systems, disabled security tools, and abnormalities in user patterns.
5. Validate Requests: Require verification of identities, contact info, cases numbers, and other details provided on requests.
6. Slow Down Responses: Train staff not to rush responses. Quick compliance is what blaggers want. Build in delays so there’s time to investigate requests before handing over data.
7. Security Awareness Training: Educate staff on blagging techniques through engaging training. Test them on simulated attacks. Well-trained staff are the ultimate defense.

The more roadblocks for blaggers, the greater chance suspicious activities get caught early. paired with vigilance, layered security makes organizations a much harder target.

How Can Individuals Beat Blaggers?

It’s not just companies at risk from blagging scams — anyone could be targeted. Here are tips to protect yourself:

• Guard personal information closely. Don’t hand it out to unsolicited callers or random emails.
• Shred documents with sensitive data before disposal. Dumpster diving provides intelligence for blaggers.
• Verify identities thoroughly before providing info to requests by phone, email, or in person.
• Avoid links and attachments in unsolicited communications that could unleash malware.
• Use strong unique passwords and multi-factor authentication to prevent account takeovers.
• Beware of phishing with urgent demands, threats, or unbelievable offers. Take your time to scrutinize requests.
• Manage social media privacy to limit personal details accessible to strangers.
• Trust your instincts if a contact seems “off” or requests seem inappropriate. Don’t feel pressured.

Staying alert and guarding your information are the best ways to thwart blaggers. Now let’s examine how blagging techniques apply to cybersecurity roles.

Blagging and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity professionals need to understand blagging because social engineering threats require a human response. Technical controls only provide partial protection.

Knowing how attackers exploit psychology better equips security personnel to design and implement defenses. It also allows them to educate users more persuasively on dangers. Understanding common deception methods improves their chances of recognizing scams. This helps them respond swiftly to mitigate damages of successful attacks.

Finally, it builds empathy for how regular users can be fooled despite security training. Appreciating the sophistication of social engineers allows cybersecurity personnel to improve awareness programs for sustainable behavior change.