Voice phishing aka Vishing: is a social engineering technique that cyber criminals use in which they call the victim and trick them into disclosing their private information. They may also convince the victim to give the hacker remote access to their device.
SMS phishing aka Smishing: is similar to vishing but instead of phone calls, the cyber attacker uses SMS or text messaging to get access to the victim’s personal data on their smartphone or text-capable device.
Smishing and vishing are both methods of identity and personal data theft. The way in which they are different is in how scammers contact the person they are trying to victimize. Methods used include email messages, SMS text messages, and/or phone calls, to get access to the victim’s personal data which can include but is not limited to financial info, and other private data like social security numbers and passwords.
The cybercriminal can then use this data to do things such as apply for credit cards in the victim’s name, open and overdraw a bank account, purchase a vehicle, drain an existing bank account, run charges to an existing credit card(s), the list goes on and on. The victim of this attack is then left trying to figure out how to prevent the hacker from continuing to utilize their personal info and contacting all of their financial institutions and credit bureaus to try and prevent further fraudulent use of their private information.
While Smishing and Vishing are dangerous for individuals, it can be absolutely devastating for a business. If a company employee becomes a victim of one of these cybercrimes, and criminals get access to their company device, they may be able to access all of the company’s sensitive data depending on the level of access the employee they scammed has. This could be detrimental to the other employees, owners, and customers. In extreme cases, it could even cause the end of a once-successful corporation. Customers may lose trust in the company and feel like their information is not safe with them, and in this situation, that feeling would be validated.
It’s important to prevent a cyberattack before it happens, however, it is also paramount to have a plan in place in the event of a cyberattack being executed. Having a partner by your side to be there implementing the latest technology against cyberattacks and cybercrimes can be crucial to the future of your company. That’s where our team at 10X comes into play. We partner with top-level companies in the cybersecurity space to make sure your company always has the newest tech available, saving you time, money, and peace of mind.
Ready to get started or have questions about smishing, vishing, or how to protect yourself and your company in the event of social engineering and cyberattacks? Contact us by calling 704-931-1056 or e-mailing: Sales@10xcg.com