You might have often come across the term quid pro quo, perhaps in the context of legal or business dealings. This Latin phrase, which means “something for something,” has also found its way into the domain of cybersecurity, and one thing’s clear: it’s laden with negative implications.
When understood in the context of cybersecurity, the transactional connotation translates into a deceitful exchange in which attackers exploit individuals’ willingness to reciprocate. After all, when there’s a malicious hacker at one end of the transaction, it can never look good!
Quid pro quo has been one of the most prevalent and harmful strategies, more so in the present times when social engineering attacks are at their peak. Basically, such attacks work on the principle of offering service or benefit against sensitive information or access. Whether it is technical support to resolve a problem that never existed, filling a fake survey for some lucrative incentive, or even the proposal of a job that sounds too good to be true, they all have one common goal— quid pro quo for gaining access to private data or systems.
Let us take a deep dive into quid pro quo attacks, what goes behind the scenes of these attacks, and how you can avoid falling victim to them.
What is a quid pro quo attack?
A quid pro quo attack is one of the low-level social engineering scams aimed at convincing the unsuspecting victim to reveal sensitive or private information in return for something of value (although it isn’t more valuable than what is at stake). This attack is not like other social engineering attacks that might rely on fear or urgency to dupe the victim; it is more subtle than that.
These attacks are executed in a way that makes them look like they come from a trusted source and offer some sort of useful service. An attacker may, for example, impersonate an IT employee in your firm who is willing to resolve some problem you have never known to have existed in your system, but for the fixing of that particular problem, they need your passwords.
Since sharing passwords with the IT team to fix a problem is generally the norm, you may not see anything wrong with the request. Again, this is exactly what the attacker is counting on. If you provide the requested information, it can be used by an attacker for various malicious activities, from remotely installing malware to stealing sensitive data.
What are some of the common quid pro quo attack tactics?
While the basic premise of all quid pro quo attacks is the same— a barter rooted in deception, they manifest themselves in different ways, most of them so subtle that you will hardly be able to tell them from a legitimate request.
Here are some of the most common tactics that you should know about:
Posing as technical support
Often, attackers show up as IT support personnel from a reputable company or even the victim’s own organization. They reach out, claiming to solve an issue that the victim might not even be aware of, and ask for login credentials or remote access to fix the problem. As soon as they gain access, they launch malware into the user’s computer or steal sensitive information.
Asking to participate in fake surveys
Surveys and competitions with lucrative prizes are also a common part of this scam. Here, cybercriminals entice unsuspecting participants to take part in these surveys and ask them to fill in personal information to claim rewards like gift cards, cash prizes, or free products. Lured by the prize, the victims give into it and provide the requested information. Again, with sensitive information in hand, these attackers can do anything.
Offering phony job offers
Fraudulent recruiters, offering attractive job opportunities and especially targeting job seekers, are also a part of this well curated scam. They ask the target for personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or copies of identity documents while pretending to perform background checks or set up payroll. For someone who is looking for a job, all of this seems a normal part of the hiring process, which makes them fall prey to the malicious tactic.
Sending false security alerts
Such scams involve sending fake security alerts to the victim, warning that the account has been compromised. The hackers make the victim believe that the only way it can be reclaimed is by providing login credentials or clicking a link to reset the password. This exploits the fear and urgency to protect the information on the account, making them more likely to comply.
How do quid pro quo attacks work?
The thing with quid pro quo attacks is that they are so canny that they almost seem to be authentic at first glance. This sense of legitimacy comes from the fact that the attackers can quite easily mimic a trusted identity and lure their victims into interacting with them. To do so, they offer a service or solution that appears beneficial to the target, and in return, they ask for something so benign that it rarely raises any eyebrows. This may be something as basic as login credentials, personal information, or even remote access to a computer—which, again, is very normal in such situations.
These attacks are very similar to baiting attacks, wherein the threat actor lures the victim with the promise of appealing incentives, except they do not rely on any advanced technologies to execute their nefarious intentions. The entire scam is devised based on routine and everyday activities.
What are the implications of these attacks?
While these attacks are simple in execution, their implications can be grave. Here are some of the key consequences of quid pro quo attacks that you should know about:
Data breaches
Once attackers succeed in accessing sensitive information like login credentials and personal details, they can easily enter your system/account to obtain confidential data. Since your account system contains all the important data you could possibly have, like financial information, personal identification numbers, and business data, the attack can use this newly gained access to execute identity theft and fraudulent transactions and cause irrevocable harm to your reputation.
Malware installation
A lot can go wrong if cyber attackers get their hands on remote access. It can be used to introduce ransomware, spyware, and viruses, among others, into your computer or system, disrupting mostly the operations and often involving a very expensive recovery process. In such cases, you have no other choice but to pay a huge ransom to regain control of your systems and data.
Financial loss
Quid pro quo attacks usually result in the revelation of financial data or enable the attackers to execute other deceitful activities. These could include unauthorized transactions, draining bank accounts, charging cards, or any other similar activity. For organizations, this could become very expensive and even put them under several legal liabilities.
Operational disruption
These scams can lead to severe operational disruptions for any organization. For example, malware can shut down critical systems, while breaches may require that a business cease all operations to assess and contain the damage. This downtime can be very expensive as it impacts your organization’s effectiveness in serving your customers.
Reputational damage
With a quid pro quo attack comes the risk of severe reputational damage. It might lead to customers and clients losing trust in your organization’s ability to safeguard their information, leading to a loss of business and damage to the brand’s reputation. Not to mention, the road to recovery is long and arduous.
How to protect yourself from quid pro quo attacks?
To protect yourself from quid pro quo attacks, you have to be vigilant, informed, and proactive in implementing robust security practices. Here’s how you can mitigate the risk of falling prey to these attacks:
Verify identities
Whenever someone reaches out to you asking you to share sensitive information or for access to your systems, dig deeper into who the person really is. We recommend that you contact them through official channels to confirm their legitimacy before providing any information.
Steer clear of unsolicited offers
Be careful when you come across unsolicited offers and take them with a pinch of salt, especially when they seem too good to be true. Whether it’s a free service, a prize, or technical support, consider the possibility that it could be a scam.
Do not share information with anyone and everyone
Only share personal or sensitive information with those you trust. And be very cautious about what information you share with who, especially over the phone or email.
Use strong security practices
Implement robust security practices, such as multi-factor authentication, which will help secure your accounts. Similarly, keep your software and systems updated with the latest security patches. Install comprehensive security software that provides protection against phishing, malware, etc.
An automatic SPF flattening tool enhances email security by streamlining and optimizing SPF records, mitigating vulnerabilities that could be exploited in social engineering attacks like quid pro quo.
It is easy to pass off a quid pro quo attack as something that only happens to others, but the reality is that anyone can be a target. This is why it is advisable to have your guard up, especially when interacting with unfamiliar contacts. By being vigilant and adopting comprehensive security measures, you can protect yourself and your data from these deceptive attacks.
For more such insights into the cybersecurity landscape and comprehensive security practices, get in touch with us today!
