Computer systems are difficult for a hacker to break into. It's often much easier to trick a person into giving-out passwords and other confidential information than to hack a computer.
The term Social engineering describes some of these sneaky techniques.
Phishing
- Fake emails or texts pretending to be from a real company
- Trying to trick you into clicking links to take you to fake websites
- The fake website will try to trick you into entering private information, like your password or bank details
Blagging
Blagging messages are even sneakier than phishing messages! They're personalised to you!
Spotting phishing scams
Phishing scams often have some tell-tale signs:
Not personally addressed to you
Spelling and grammatical errors
Web addresses which look slightly different to legitimate ones
An urgent situation to make you panic and click the link before you think
Shouldering
Sometimes called shoulder-surfing, this is someone watching what you type.
More high-tech methods can involve using cameras to watch and record you typing PINs and pass-codes, or fake keypads on cash machines to record the buttons you press.
To protect yourself, always look around you when entering sensitive information or unlocking your phone, and cover your PIN. Many cash machines have little mirrors on them so you can check who's around.