One of the most common cases for quid pro quo attacks is where imposters pose as an IT employee . The hacker contacts as many company employees as possible on their hotline to supposedly offer IT support.
The hacker promises to resolve a problem quickly in exchange for the user disabling the antivirus. Once disabled, the fake technician can install malware on the victims' computers, disguising them as software updates.
In another very common scenario, the hacker attempts to steal an employee's credentials. In this case, again, the scammer contacts the employee by posing as a technology specialist from an IT bolivia whatsapp number data 5 million company specializing in software troubleshooting. After asking the victim a few questions to determine what problems they are having with their PC, they offer to take a look at it:
This is a warning sign that needs to be heeded!
How to avoid quid pro quo attacks
As with other types of social engineering, it is important to take appropriate security measures to protect both yourself and your sensitive data.
Take a cautious approach : a “gift” or “service” is never entirely free. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! At worst, it is a quid pro quo attack.
Never reveal personal or account information unless you are the one who initiated the conversation . After a possible intervention in which you have provided your login information, change your password to prevent further use.
When a company contacts you, call them back using the phone number listed on their website . Never call them back using a number provided by the person you spoke to.
If the call you received doesn't leave you very confident , it's best to leave it at that.
Use strong passwords and change them regularly . Check out our article on passwords to develop good habits .
Train yourself to recognize social engineering techniques and other cyber threats. Check out our Email Security and Privacy Awareness course for more details .
