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XFor fans of NCAA Men’s Basketball, there may be no greater sign of spring than Selection Sunday. Now that the matchups have been announced, the madness of March can begin — cue the filling out of brackets, the submitting of personal information and online transferring of money for betting purposes.
But for hackers, this time of year can often provide some pretty big pay days — at your expense. Social engineering scams like phishing emails, imposter websites, and malicious links and ads are just some of the tactics used by cyber criminals during this popular sporting season.
So if you are a member of bracket nation, consider this piece of advice: Whether you are a purist (i.e., a one-bracketer) or more buckshot in your approach (more entries = more chances to win, after all), the biggest bracket buster of them all is falling for a social engineering scam that compromises your data and/or puts your devices (and your money) at risk.
When fighting social engineering scams, the best advice is to assess potential risks and react appropriately. Here are three key things to look out for this March (and all year long):
At Wombat Security, we constantly work to improve security awareness and training for organizations and individuals. We urge everyone to make it a habit to stop and think before you act — whether on a work or a personal device. If something seems off, trust your instincts. Hackers used large events like March Madness to their advantage; being more aware of their playbook can help you avoid giving them the upper hand.
About Gretel Egan
Gretel Egan is the eLearning and Marketing Content Manager for Wombat Security Technologies, a leading provider of security awareness and training solutions with proven results. She has nearly 20 years of experience researching and writing about topics relevant to both technical and consumer audiences. Prior to her work with Wombat, she had a successful freelance marketing communications business and developed content for a variety of market leaders, including Verizon, Verizon Wireless, Whirlpool, Home Depot and Baccarat. Gretel also spent more than 10 years writing for telecommunications organizations, holding marketing positions with Ericsson, Marconi, and Black Box.