When we think of cyberthreats, our minds often conjure up images of complex algorithms, advanced hacking techniques, and lines of incomprehensible code as shown in movies and TV shows. While sophisticated attacks do exist, a lot of the damage done to organizations can be attributed to something far simpler and more insidious — social engineering.
Social engineering: The power of psychological manipulation
Social engineering is a form of cyberattack that doesn’t rely on intricate technical maneuvers but rather on exploiting human psychology and emotions. It is a method of hacking that completely disregards firewalls, antivirus software, or other security measures, and instead focuses on negligent users. In other words, it is the art of manipulating people into giving out sensitive information or performing actions that compromise their own security and that of their organization.
Performing a social engineering attack can be easily executed by anyone with minimal technical expertise. It typically involves the following stages:
- Information gathering – The social engineer collects as much information about the target as possible, including their online presence, job, interests, and relationships. This helps them devise elaborate lies and create a plan to exploit the target’s vulnerabilities.
- Relationship building – Using the information gathered, the engineer establishes a rapport with the victim, often by posing as an authority figure, official representative, colleague, or friend.
- Pretexting – The social engineer creates a plausible scenario to manipulate the target into providing the desired information or performing a specific action. Common examples of pretexting include posing as an IT technician to fix a supposed technical issue or using a fake emergency to elicit sensitive data.
- Exploitation – Once all the pieces are aligned, the social engineer will play into the target’s trust, fear of consequences, desire for a reward, empathy for an issue, or curiosity to obtain sensitive information or access to critical systems.
There are various types of social engineering attacks and techniques. Phishing scams are a common cyberthreat that employs social engineering tactics. These scams involve sending fraudulent emails, text messages, or instant messages that appear to be from legitimate sources and asking recipients to click on dangerous links, download malware-laced attachments, and/or provide sensitive information.
Social engineering penetration testing: A vital defense strategy
Social engineering penetration testing is a critical, proactive approach to assessing an organization’s vulnerability to social engineering attacks. It involves ethical hackers simulating realistic social engineering scenarios — such as phishing emails or scam calls — to identify weaknesses and assess an employee’s security awareness.
The results of a social engineering penetration test can then be used to improve security policies, develop more effective training programs, and help employees become more cognizant of their actions. Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities through social engineering penetration testing can significantly reduce the likelihood of a successful attack and minimize the potential financial and reputational damage to an organization.
Additionally, social engineering penetration testing can also help organizations meet compliance requirements, such as employee security awareness training mandates in various regulations like HIPAA and GDPR.
How do you conduct social engineering penetration testing?
The steps involved in a social engineering penetration test follow the same process a hacker would use to launch an attack, albeit with ethical intentions and proper authorization. These steps include:
- Reconnaissance – The penetration testers will attempt to collect information about the target organization and its employees by trawling through public sources such as social media profiles, job listings, company websites, and other online resources. Penetration testers may even attempt contact with employees to gather information directly and gauge their susceptibility to manipulation.
- Strategy development – Based on the gathered information, penetration testers will create a plan and choose specific social engineering tactics that are most likely to be successful. Testers will typically discuss the limitations and boundaries of the test with the organization beforehand to ensure no sensitive information is compromised, but the scope of attacks could be anything from phishing to physical intrusion attempts.
- Target selection – Penetration testers will select a group of employees to target, typically based on job roles or department hierarchy. They may also randomly select targets to simulate a more realistic attack scenario.
- Execution and exploitation – Penetration testers will carry out the social engineering attack, using various tactics and methods to manipulate targets into providing sensitive information or performing specific actions. They may use simulated phishing campaigns, fake links that lead to a harmless landing page, or even attempts to gain physical access to restricted areas.
- Analysis and reporting – Testers will document and analyze the results of the social engineering penetration test, including any vulnerabilities that were successfully exploited and how employees responded to the attack. Testers will then provide a comprehensive report along with recommendations for improving the company’s security posture and employee awareness.
The insights gleaned from a social engineering penetration test can be invaluable in fortifying your weakest links and preventing potential breaches.
If you need a professional and dependable penetration tester who will give you a realistic and actionable assessment of your organization’s security posture, reach out to Varsity Tech today. We have a team of skilled and experienced ethical hackers who can help you stay ahead of evolving social engineering threats.
