Baiting

Definition

Baiting is a social engineering attack in which an attacker tricks a victim into installing malicious software on their device. Initially, it involved physical objects (like infected USB sticks or CDs) that automatically install the malware when inserted into a computer.

Nowadays, baiting can take many digital forms. For example, you could receive a legitimate-looking work email that contains malware.

Difference Between Baiting and Phishing 

Baiting and phishing may appear similar, but they are two different types of scams.

In baiting, the attacker uses a legitimate organization as bait to trick the victim into revealing their personal information or clicking a link.

On the other hand, phishing scams usually take the form of emails and often include links or attachments that could infect your device with malware.

How to Prevent Baiting

• Avoid clicking on links, attachments, or ads if they look suspicious or you don’t know their sources.
• Install a reliable antivirus and antimalware protection.
• Avoid using external devices without first checking them for malware.