With social engineering now the #1 cause of cyberattacks, it’s imperative for you to learn how to stop social engineering attacks against your business.

Your first step in stopping them is to learn what they are and how they work. After that, you need to learn how combining security layers like Endpoint Protection and Email Security makes the best defense.

Read on and we’ll walk you through every step of the way.

What is social engineering and how does it work?

Social engineering tactics are based on a simple truth: it’s easier to hack a human than it is to hack a computer. That means social engineering attackers use deception and tricks to get their victims to willingly give up private information like logins, passwords and even bank info.

Phishing is the most common type of social engineering attack, and it works by disguising emails as someone or something you trust. We would never click on an email with the subject line “Click here to get hacked,” but we might click on an email titled “Your Amazon purchase refund – claim now.”

Why does combining security layers prevent social engineering?

Forrester unleashed their researchers to find the best defense against social engineering. They recommend layered defenses for preventing social engineering strategies like phishing.

Because social engineering attacks prey on the human element of cybersecurity, they’re very good at getting around single layers of protection. After all, locked doors only work when the bad guys don’t have a copy of the key.

But if your business is protected by both Email Security and Endpoint Protection, attackers can trick their way into an employee’s email password and still be foiled by Endpoint Protection. Or they might gain access to your network with an illicitly gained password, but Email Security stops their attack from spreading.

Stop social engineering

Now that you know how social engineering works and the best defense against this type of cyberattack, you’re well on your way to stopping social engineering.

The next step is making sure you have the right tools to stop cybercriminals in their tracks. Review your cybersecurity strategy to make sure you have multiple layers of protection like Email Security and Endpoint Protection.

Interested in achieving cyber resilience and gaining a partner to help stop cyberattacks? Explore Webroot Endpoint Protection and Webroot Email Security powered by Zix.