--- title: 10 Things I Know About Social Engineering description: 10 Things I Know About Social Engineering --- [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/head-logo-2.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/towerwall-logo-white-test.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) - [Our Partners](https://towerwall.com/how-we-protect-you/our-technology-partners/) - Our Solutions - - Our Cybersecurity Solutions - We operationalize infosec, building security solutions that safeguard your most critical assets. - - [Solutions Overview](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/) - [Risk Assessments & Security Reviews](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/risk-assessments-security-reviews/) - [Program & Policy Development](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/program-policy-development/) - [Incident Response & Remediation](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/incident-response-remediation/) - 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[Our Team](https://towerwall.com/company/our-team/) - [Our Approach](https://towerwall.com/our-approach/) - [Our Values](https://towerwall.com/company/our-values/) - - [Awards & Recognition](https://towerwall.com/company/awards-recognition/) - [Certifications & Affiliations](https://towerwall.com/company/certifications-affiliations/) - [Community Involvement](https://towerwall.com/company/community-involvement/) - [Careers](https://towerwall.com/company/careers/) - [Contact Us](https://towerwall.com/company/contact-us/) Topics IT Support, Social Engineering, Uniforms, USB, Phishing, Information Security, Security, quid pro quo, endpoint security system, security policy, financial security, scammers, 4E Methodology, Educate, Secure Building, cannabis, Enterprise # 10 Things I Know About Social Engineering [By Michelle Drolet](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) [Read More](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) 1 Minute Read September 02, 2014 ### 10. Don't trust uniforms. Wearing shirts with company logos on them can be enough to gain access to restricted areas. Verify that visitors really are who they say they are. ### 9. ID caller from IT. If you receive a call offering IT support for a problem you didn't know you had, get suspicious. That's probably not Microsoft calling; it's a scam known as pretexting. ### 8. Don't phall for phishing. Phishing is so common because people fall for it, but your bank will never ask you to change your password by following a link. Always type in Web addresses directly; don't click on links. ### 7. Watch out for attachments. Never open an attachment from an untrusted source, no matter how enticing. Even if you know the sender, it's worth scanning that .ZIP file before you consider opening it. ### 6. You don't have to be so nice. "Tailgating" works because people don't like to let the door close on the person behind them. But if you work in a secure building, your manners could cause a security breach. ### 5. Don't fall for USB 'bait.' "Baiting" involves leaving a USB flash drive with an intriguing label on it lying around in the hope someone will stick it in their computer and unwittingly install malware or worse. Remember what curiosity did to the cat. ### 4. Say no to quid pro quo. Quid pro quo scammers will offer you something enticing, like chocolates or a coupon, in return for information about you. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. ### 3. Verify 'pleas.' Requests for money to help a desperate friend or relative commonly come through hacked social media accounts. Contact the person before you send anything to make sure it's really them. ### 2. Don't be the weakest link. You can have endpoint security systems in place with anti-virus, URL and content filtering, firewalls at the gateway and desktop, anti-malware, and more, but social engineering encourages you to bypass your own defenses. ### 1. Everyone needs educating. Create a user awareness program on how to spot social engineering techniques. A healthy dose of suspicion could save a lot of time and money. By Michelle Drolet, founder and CEO, Towerwall Special to Worcester Business Journal Online   This article was recently published in [Worcester Business Journal Online](http://www.wbjournal.com/article/20140901/PRINTEDITION/308319994/10-things-i-know-about-social-engineering#.VAWq3EJCtGU.twitter) #### 10 Things I Know About Social Engineering Back to Top ## Related Insights ### [The 4 Es of Enterprise Security](https://blog.towerwall.com/4-es-enterprise-security) IT Support, Social Engineering, Uniforms, USB, Phishing, Information Security, Security, quid pro quo, endpoint security system, security policy, financial security, scammers, 4E Methodology, Educate, Secure Building, cannabis, Enterprise ### [Towerwall listed among “20 Most Promising Security Consulting Companies”](https://blog.towerwall.com/towerwall-listed-20-promising-security-consulting-companies) IT Support, Social Engineering, Uniforms, USB, Phishing, Information Security, Security, quid pro quo, endpoint security system, security policy, financial security, scammers, 4E Methodology, Educate, Secure Building, cannabis, Enterprise [View All Insights](https://blog.towerwall.com) × ## Talk with us now about: #### Your security needs. - ![Phone](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/phone-icon.svg "Phone") [Call 774.204.0700](tel:774.204.0700) - ![Mail](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/mail-icon.svg "Mail") [Email Us](mailto:info@towerwall.com) ### The front line of cybersecurity.™ For over 23 years, Towerwall, a woman-owned business, has helped scores of companies safeguard their data and leverage their investment in IT with advanced information security technology solutions and services. 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