Articles are words that form part of a noun and are often used as pronouns or adverbs. They may be used to refer to people, places or things.
Personal information, also referred to as personally identifiable information (PII), is data that can distinguish or trace an individual’s identity. This data can be public or private.
Observation
Observation is a method that can be used to gather information discreetly. It requires a certain level of skill and time. Most people are naturally guarded in some way, and it can be difficult to get around this. If you are able to observe a person, it can give you new information that is not available through other means, such as surveys or interviews. These example sentences are programmatically generated from online sources. They may not represent the opinions of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Social Engineering
Once an attacker has collected enough OSINT to create a convincing ruse, they use their information to gain confidence and trust from their target. This is a critical step, and it can be an involved process that takes weeks or even months in the form of social media chats, email correspondence, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings. Often, if the attacker is able to convince the target that they are legitimate, they can get the victim to reveal more and more private information.
A common trick is to dangle something the target wants, such as money or a prize. Urgency is also a powerful tool for attackers, as they can dangle an urgent request for confidential or sensitive information that needs to be immediately addressed. These types of attacks are very effective and have been around for a long time.
To protect against these threats, educate your team and implement a risk-aware culture. Make sure your employees know to never divulge personal information to strangers and only provide their passwords if they have been given permission by an authorized person. Educate your team to always be suspicious of requests that seem too good to be true and contact someone in the organization to verify any urgent requests before they are fulfilled. In addition, make sure your company has a service that monitors known data breaches and alerts you of any potential breach involving your personal information.
Be Mindful of What You Share
As you gather information discreetly, it is important to be mindful of what you share. Wherever possible, individuals should be able to choose whether they want their personal information to be shared and with whom. This can be done by seeking consent or being open and honest with the individual from the outset as to why, what, how and with whom their information will be used. Where this is not possible, it is important to deflect the conversation by changing the topic. This may involve asking the individual questions about themselves or simply bringing up another subject altogether. It is also important to understand privacy policies on the websites, apps and services you use.
Deflect the Conversation
Deflecting is one of the most common defense mechanisms to avoid a difficult conversation. It involves shifting attention away from a topic that’s uncomfortable or heightened with emotion to another topic, person, or situation. This can be done by changing the subject, asking a question, or making a joke. In some cases, deflective behavior may also take the form of aggressive or defensive responses.
If you suspect someone is deflecting, try to get them to admit that they’re dodging the issue. This can be effective because a deflector will feel exposed and vulnerable for attempting to dodge the issue at hand. They may also feel a sense of relief and guilt for realizing that they’re not the only ones with the problem.
Other effective tactics for dealing with deflection include pointing them to a public source of information if they’re persistent in asking questions that are intended to gather sensitive details about your relationship, or simply playing dumb by pretending not to know the answer to their questions. This will shut them down quickly and effectively.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that deflective behaviors aren’t healthy or productive. They can be a sign of low self-esteem and anxiety, which can lead to more serious problems in the long term. Practicing mindfulness and recognizing deflection are the best ways to prevent or address these issues.