Social engineering isn’t just something undercover agents in spy movies do. When it comes to the internet, it’s more common than you think — and you could be an unwitting target of it right now. Social engineers take advantage of your trust, curiosity, or fear. The way they work is sneaky, and it’s personal.
If you’re curious about how these attacks happen and what you can do to protect yourself, read on. Social engineering is evolving rapidly, and understanding it is the first step to staying safe online.
How social engineering works
Social engineering is a set of malicious activities that focus on manipulating victims into revealing confidential information or performing actions that could compromise their security. It’s often used in hacking, with the perpetrators (known as social engineers) applying psychological manipulation rather than technical skills to obtain login credentials, bank account details, or even access to entire systems.
To deceive their victims, social engineers employ a variety of tactics. They tend to build trust through false pretenses, exploiting fear, curiosity, and urgency. To lower their target’s guard, they may also pose as someone with legitimate credentials, such as their colleague or an authority figure.
6 types of social engineering attacks
We’ve identified six common techniques used in social engineering attacks. It’s important to remember that these often overlap, and most high-profile attacks employ all of them together in one form or another.
1. Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common social engineering schemes. It involves sending fake emails or messages that appear to be coming from a trusted source but typically contain malicious web links or attachments. After the victim interacts with the message, the attacker is able to capture their login credentials, social security number, or other sensitive information.
For example, a phishing attack may include sending out fake emails requesting to verify bank account information. When one of the intended victims clicks on the link, they’re taken to a website that mimics the bank’s login page, tricking them into exposing their personal information to the attacker.
2. Baiting
In a baiting scheme, attackers lure victims with the promise of something desirable, such as free media or software. The bait then directs them to websites designed to harvest their login credentials or financial information.
Baiting tactics can also be applied offline. For example, attackers can leave an infected USB drive in a public place, hoping that a curious person will plug it into their computer and unknowingly install malicious software.
3. Pretexting
Pretexting involves fabricating a scenario or identity to extract confidential information through a conversation with the victim. This technique often involves impersonating an authority figure, such as a bank representative asking for financial information or an IT professional requesting access to restricted system areas under the guise of performing routine checks.
Pretexting relies on establishing trust with the victim, often by using background information gleaned from their social media profiles or publicly available search results.
4. Quid pro quo
Quid pro quo attacks involve offering specific services or benefits in exchange for information. For example, an attacker might impersonate tech support, promising to help fix an issue on the victim’s mobile devices or computer in exchange for remote access to the system. Once access is granted, they can steal identity details, install malicious software, or even sabotage entire systems.
While this may sound similar to pretexting, the key difference is that in quid pro quo attacks, the attacker offers something desirable to the victim in return for their cooperation.
5. Spear phishing
A more targeted form of phishing, spear phishing involves crafting highly personalized strategies directed at specific individuals or organizations. In these attacks, the hacker typically first gathers personal details about the victim, such as their job title or connections, to make their phishing message extra convincing.
Spear phishing usually targets individuals with high-level access, such as executives or system administrators, which makes it a particularly dangerous form of social engineering.
6. Watering hole attacks
A watering hole attack is a targeted operation in which hackers compromise a website or service frequently visited by a specific group of people. This allows the attackers to infiltrate the network or systems of the group or organization they are interested in without directly targeting the organization itself.
This method takes advantage of the victim’s trust in a commonly used resource they consider safe, making it a highly effective and sophisticated form of human hacking.
High-profile social engineering cases
Social engineering attacks have been responsible for some of the most high-profile cybersecurity breaches in history, involving manipulation, identity theft, and significant financial losses. Below are some notable examples of how social engineering has been used to successfully target organizations you’d typically consider bulletproof:
The 2013 Target data breach
This is one of the largest and most well-known social engineering cases to date. In 2013, retail giant Target suffered a data breach that exposed credit and debit card information of over 40 million customers. The attackers gained access through a phishing attack, tricking a third-party vendor into giving away their credentials. Once the attackers accessed Target’s network, they were able to move through the system undetected, eventually reaching the payment data stored in the retailer’s point-of-sale systems.
The 2013 Target breach is a clear example of how attackers can use social engineering techniques to exploit not only the primary target but also the human error of third parties who may have weaker security protocols.
The 2020 Twitter hack
In July 2020, cybercriminals successfully executed a social engineering attack on Twitter, compromising several high-profile accounts, including those of Elon Musk, Barack Obama, and Apple. By posing as IT staff performing a routine security check, the attackers were able to trick Twitter employees into giving up their login credentials. From there, the attackers gained access to Twitter’s backend systems, allowing them to reset passwords and post messages from verified accounts.
This attack is a testament to the effectiveness of social engineering in exploiting human error and building trust through false pretenses.
Google and Facebook wire fraud
Between 2013 and 2015, attackers used a business email compromise (BEC) scheme to trick Google and Facebook into sending over $100 million to their bank accounts. The attackers posed as legitimate suppliers and sent fake invoices to employees in both companies’ finance departments. By taking advantage of the routine nature of these payments and performing actions under the guise of regular business processes, the fraud went undetected for almost two years.
No case highlights the effectiveness of phishing scams better. With enough knowledge of company verification procedures, attackers can easily socially engineer their way into even the most sensitive transactions.
The RSA security breach
In 2011, a cybersecurity company called RSA experienced a major breach that turned out to be a consequence of a phishing attempt. RSA employees received emails with the 2011 Recruitment Plan subject line and a malicious attachment inside. It took just one employee to open the attachment to have malware automatically installed on their system, providing attackers with remote access to the company’s network. The attackers then stole sensitive information related to RSA’s authentication tokens, affecting numerous clients.
This attack underscores how one phishing attack can compromise even the most secure companies, leading to widespread cybersecurity consequences across their customer base.
How to protect yourself against social engineering attacks
While social engineering attacks are designed to exploit human vulnerabilities, there are several ways to minimize the risk of falling victim to these schemes. Implementing a few routine practices can make all the difference.
1. Verify identities
Always take the time to verify the identity of the person requesting sensitive information, especially if the request is unexpected or comes through an unofficial channel. To establish a sense of legitimacy, attackers tend to use false pretenses and impersonate trusted sources, such as colleagues, IT staff, or service providers. Before giving out confidential information, confirm the person’s identity by calling them directly or insist on using known, trusted methods of communication.
2. Be cautious with links and attachments
One of the most common ways social engineers trick their victims is through malicious web links and email attachments. Remember to never engage with unsolicited emails, text messages, or unfamiliar senders. If a message seems suspicious, hover over the address bar or the link to inspect the URL. If it looks off and doesn’t match the legitimate website, it’s best to avoid interacting with it, as it might be designed to steal your login credentials or infect your system with malware.
3. Use strong, unique passwords
Using strong, unique passwords for each account is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from social engineering attacks. Social engineers may try to gain access to your accounts by tricking you into revealing your credentials, but reusing passwords across multiple sites won’t give them access to your entire digital footprint. Using a password manager is a good idea, as it can help you generate and store strong passwords without the headache of memorizing each one.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
Another highly effective way of safeguarding your accounts is using multi-factor authentication (MFA). Even if an attacker manages to steal your password, 2FA ensures they cannot access your accounts without the second verification method, such as a text message code, an authentication app, or a hardware token. This is especially critical for protecting accounts that store financial information or social security numbers.
5. Educate yourself on social engineering tactics
Staying informed about the latest social engineering techniques should be a no-brainer for anyone interested in protecting themselves online. Cybercriminals are constantly perfecting their methods, and regularly training yourself on how to recognize phishing scams, malicious websites, and suspicious behaviors will go a long way toward minimizing the risk of falling victim to these schemes.
6. Be wary of urgency and pressure
Many social engineering schemes rely on creating a sense of urgency to prompt you to act quickly without thinking. Whether it’s a fake email claiming there’s an issue with your account or a phone call demanding immediate action, always take a moment to assess the situation before responding. If something seems off or feels rushed, it’s worth pausing and verifying the request before proceeding.
Defending businesses from social engineering attacks
While individuals are often affected by social engineering attacks, it’s the enterprises that are usually cybercriminals’ primary targets due to the high value of their data and systems. Here are some key strategies organizations can implement to protect themselves from these attacks.
1. Employee training
Regular cybersecurity training is essential for helping employees recognize and avoid social engineering schemes. To keep company data safe, all employees should know how to spot suspicious emails, fake web links, and phishing attempts. Since social engineers often exploit human error, training should focus on common phishing attacks, business email compromise, and tactics like pretexting and quid pro quo.
Employees should also be educated about the risks of malicious attachments and malicious software and the ways in which social engineers work.
2. Implementing strict protocols
Organizations should establish strict protocols for verifying requests for confidential information, especially those made by email or phone. For example, implementing a two-step verification process for changes to financial information or access to restricted areas can significantly reduce the success of social engineering attacks.
These protocols should require employees to verify the identity of anyone requesting sensitive data, even if the request appears to come from a legitimate source. This can help prevent attackers from gaining access to sensitive systems or data under false pretenses.
3. Security audits
Regular security audits can help identify vulnerabilities in an organization’s infrastructure that social engineers could potentially exploit. They should assess everything from remote access protocols to the company’s email and network access security policies.
Businesses can bolster their defenses against social engineering schemes by understanding weak points and conducting background information checks on critical systems.
4. Using antivirus software and firewalls
Installing and regularly updating antivirus software can help prevent malicious applications from entering company networks. In addition, you should get a firewall to filter traffic from malicious websites and prevent employees from inadvertently accessing these sites through search engine results or phishing attempts.
An updated operating system and other software are essential in defending against malicious websites and attackers who exploit software vulnerabilities to perform their attacks.
5. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all employees
Businesses should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all employee accounts. MFA adds an extra layer of security by ensuring that even if an attacker succeeds in obtaining login credentials, they cannot access the company’s systems without the second factor, such as a text message code or hardware token.
MFA is especially important for accounts with access to financial information, critical systems, or other sensitive data.
6. Data segmentation and access controls
Limiting employee access to only the data and systems required for their role can reduce the potential damage done by a social engineering attack. By segmenting data and restricting access to sensitive information, organizations can ensure that even if an attacker compromises an employee, they do not get access to the broader network or sensitive data unrelated to that employee’s role.
This form of access control helps limit the impact of an attack and minimizes the risk of one employee’s compromised account resulting in company-wide data breaches.
Social engineering vs. technical hacking: what’s the difference?
While technical hacking often receives more attention in cybersecurity discussions, social engineering presents a more insidious threat. Both methods can lead to severe security breaches, but they operate in fundamentally different ways.
Social engineering attacks rely primarily on psychological manipulation, exploiting trust, fear, curiosity, or urgency to manipulate their victims. Technical hacking, on the other hand, involves gaining unauthorized access by use of malware, viruses, or network exploits. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software are typically used to guard against these threats.
But while these defenses are highly effective at preventing technical breaches, they do little to protect the weakest link in the security chain — people. Because humans are naturally trusting and often unaware of the sophisticated social engineering tactics used to deceive them, social engineers are able to bypass even the most secure systems through employees. These attacks also require significantly less technical skill, making the point of entry lower.
Stay vigilant: social engineering isn’t going away
We’ve explored how social engineering works and why it’s such a powerful tool for cybercriminals. You now know how attackers manipulate human behavior and can recognize the tactics they use to gain access to sensitive information. And yet, this is just the beginning.
The future of social engineering looks even more sophisticated as cybercriminals incorporate new technologies such as AI or deepfakes. Staying vigilant, questioning unexpected requests, and protecting your online presence are essential.
That’s where Surfshark’s all-in-one cybersecurity suite comes in. With a powerful VPN, data leak alert, Antivirus, and other cutting-edge privacy tools, Surfshark helps you stay ahead of cyberthreats. Social engineering is evolving, and so should your defenses — stay smart, stay safe, and don’t let cyberthreats catch you off guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is social engineering in simple terms?
Social engineering is a manipulation technique where attackers trick people into giving up personal or sensitive information. It’s all about exploiting trust rather than hacking systems.
What is an example of social engineering?
A common example of social engineering is phishing, where a scammer sends a fake email pretending to be a trusted company, asking you to click a link and enter your login details.
What is a social engineering attack?
A social engineering attack is when cybercriminals use deception to gain access to confidential information, often by impersonating someone you trust or exploiting your emotions.
What does a social engineer usually do?
A social engineer typically manipulates people into handing over passwords, financial details, or other sensitive data by creating convincing scenarios that prompt victims to act without thinking.