One of the most devious forms of cyber-attack is social engineering, or the gleaning of critical information about individuals or organizations through social media, email, or other social interactions. Social engineering is just one example of the broader category of cyber threats, which also includes malware and other persistent risks that require comprehensive, evolving security strategies. These insidious attacks pose a significant challenge to SOC teams because they rely on exploitation of your weakest link—people. As stated by Kevin Mitnick1 in his book, The Art of Deception, “A company can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on firewalls, intrusion detection systems and encryption and other security technologies, but if an attacker can call one trusted person within the company, and that person complies, and if the attacker gets in, then all that money spend to technology is essentially wasted.”
The good news is that there are proven strategies for preventing damage from social engineering attacks. Through a two-pronged approach that involves training and technology, and by integrating digital security measures with physical and organizational safeguards, you can keep your systems, data, employees—and IT investments—safe.
Introduction to Social Engineering
Social engineering attacks are among the most pervasive and damaging threats facing organizations today. By exploiting the human element, social engineers use psychological manipulation to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information or granting unauthorized access to systems. These attacks can take many forms, but all rely on social engineering tactics that target users’ trust and instincts. With 98% of cyberattacks involving some form of social engineering, the risk to organizations is both widespread and costly—averaging $130,000 in losses per incident.
Understanding how social engineering works is essential for any organization aiming to protect its sensitive data and maintain secure systems access. Social engineers often pose as trusted contacts or authority figures, using tactics designed to make users feel comfortable or pressured into sharing confidential information. This makes it crucial for organizations to adopt a proactive approach, focusing on both awareness and action, to prevent social engineering attacks and safeguard their most valuable assets.
Understanding the Risks
The risks posed by social engineering attacks are significant and ever-present. More than half of organizations report receiving phishing emails—one of the most common social engineering attack methods—on a daily or weekly basis. However, phishing is just one tactic in a broader arsenal used by threat actors to exploit human nature and bypass technical defenses. Social engineering attacks can lead to data breaches, financial loss, and lasting reputational damage.
Awareness of the evolving threat landscape is critical to prevent social engineering attacks. Early detection and mitigation of these threats can make the difference between a minor incident and a major security breach. Employees are often the first line of defense, so it is essential to educate them on the various social engineering tactics and foster a security conscious environment. By empowering employees to recognize and respond to suspicious activities, organizations can significantly reduce their risk and protect themselves from the costly consequences of social engineering attacks.
The Role of Human Behavior
Human behavior plays a significant role in the success of social engineering attacks. Attackers rely on their understanding of human psychology to manipulate individuals into bypassing established security protocols. Social engineers often impersonate trusted colleagues or authority figures, creating a false sense of security or urgency that pressures victims into performing actions they would normally question—such as sharing login credentials or confidential information.
Recognizing the psychological triggers used by social engineers is crucial to preventing social engineering attacks. By understanding how attackers exploit trust, fear, and the desire to be helpful, organizations can implement effective security protocols and train employees to identify and report suspicious activity. Building awareness of these tactics helps employees stay alert to potential threats and reinforces the importance of following security best practices at all times.
First: Start with Training and Awareness to Prevent Social Engineering Attacks
Phishing, which is a form of social engineering, was the most commonly reported type of cyber-crime2 reported to the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2020. These sophisticated attacks come through email, phone, or in person, and can fool even the most security-savvy professionals. Attackers often use targeted methods, such as spear phishing, leveraging personal information to increase the effectiveness of their phishing emails. However, with ongoing training and awareness campaigns based on phishing prevention best practices3, you will improve employee vigilance and increase their detection of social engineering attempts. Your compulsory training should:
- Show how phishing attempts work: Phishing employs social engineering tactics to gain trust or urge spontaneous action. Attackers often send a phishing email containing a malicious link, tricking victims into clicking and divulging personal or organizational information. For example, a targeted spear phishing email may appear to come from a trusted executive, asking an employee to urgently review a document via a malicious link, leading to credential theft or malware installation.
- Provide a clear course of action at the time of detection: Employees need to know how to avoid a phishing attempt, and who to contact if they are unsure of the validity of an email, phone, or other request.
- Offer procedures for reporting a successful phishing attack: Eventually, someone from even the best-trained workforce falls for a phishing attack. Your organization needs to be prepared so that the individual, and the organization, can protect themselves after the attack. Establishing incident response protocols is critical to minimize damage and ensure swift recovery.
When creating training, you can refer to CISA’s Security Tip page for Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks4.
In addition to regular training, including reminders about phishing in company newsletters, blogs, social media, and on intranet sites continually raises awareness and reminds workers of the importance of remaining vigilant. You can also conduct phishing simulations by sending decoy emails and recording how your workforce responds. The results of these simulations can help shape and improve your training offerings and awareness campaigns. These exercises also help prepare employees for ransomware attacks and other forms of malware or malicious software that may result from social engineering.
By keeping the topic of phishing top of mind, your workforce becomes a force multiplier for security, preventing attackers from gaining a foothold into your systems.
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Identifying Suspicious Activity
Detecting suspicious activity is a critical step in preventing social engineering attacks. Social engineers frequently use phishing emails containing malicious links or attachments to gain access to sensitive information. Employees should be vigilant when receiving unsolicited emails or phone calls, especially those requesting sensitive data or urgent action. Verifying the identity of the sender or caller before responding is essential to avoid falling victim to these attacks.
Advanced technologies such as behavioral analytics and artificial intelligence can help organizations detect anomalies and suspicious activity across their networks. However, employee awareness remains a key component of a proactive approach to security. By monitoring user activity and identifying unusual behavior, organizations can detect and respond to social engineering attacks before they escalate, protecting both their data and their reputation.
Safe Communication Habits
Developing safe communication habits is essential to prevent social engineering attacks and protect sensitive data. Employees should always verify the identity of anyone requesting sensitive information and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments. Maintaining strong passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication for personal accounts and organizational systems are crucial steps to enhance security.
Social engineers often attempt to request sensitive information through subtle manipulation, making it vital to confirm the authenticity of any request before taking action. Organizations should implement robust security protocols, such as endpoint detection and response, to detect and block malicious activity. By fostering a culture of security awareness and encouraging employees to stay vigilant, organizations can stay ahead of evolving threats and maintain a secure environment for their data and systems.
Next: Reinforce Security with a Proactive Cyber Defense
- Assume a breach will happen:
It’s only a matter of time before someone clicks a malicious link, responds to a phishing email, or unknowingly shares credentials. These mistakes open the door for attackers, making it essential to prepare for when—not if—an intrusion occurs. - Go beyond detection with proactive defense:
Traditional detection tools alone aren’t enough. Proactive defense integrates real-time response measures into your security stack to stop attacks at the earliest possible stage, minimizing potential damage. - Shift the SOC mindset:
Security teams must engage earlier in the attack chain instead of waiting to react. By shaping your environment—assets, applications, and workloads—you can gain the strategic upper hand and reduce attacker opportunities. - Use continuous investigation and discovery:
Proactive cyber defense requires a continuous process using threat intelligence, analytics, machine learning, AI-powered solutions, and deception technologies. Threat hunting plays a key role in identifying both known and emerging threats. - Leverage external expertise for stronger defenses:
Enhance your security posture by working with specialized services such as penetration testing, red teaming, and attack surface management. These assessments help uncover vulnerabilities that internal teams may overlook. - Know your environment best:
Your familiarity with your systems is a critical advantage. Use it to counter attacks, learn about adversary tactics, and prepare for future attempts, including those stemming from successful phishing attacks. - Tap into cybersecurity expertise:
Partnering with experienced professionals ensures your proactive defense strategy stays sharp, effective, and capable of evolving alongside new threats.
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