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Social Engineering Testing

Simulate social engineering attacks to challenge your employees’ cyber awareness with social engineering testing from CyberOne.

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Social engineering assessment that tests people, processes and technology

Social engineering attacks typically include manipulating people into divulging confidential information or performing an activity that benefits the attacker, preferably without those people realising. People are often more susceptible to compromise than technology, representing a direct entry point into a target network. While technology testing is important, social engineering testing gives a more complete assurance against real world threats.

CyberOne social engineering testing focuses on weaknesses with human psychology, trying to obtain sensitive information from users, for example through phishing emails. Having gained safe access to your systems through an unsuspecting employee, our testers seek to steal credentials and gain access to a user’s computer.

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Simulating social engineering attacks with comprehensive testing

Phishing-as-a-service

Phishing is one of the most common cyber attacks. Attackers entice users into clicking malicious links, attachments and providing sensitive information by imitating trusted individuals and organisations. Our social engineering testing will assess your employees’ awareness of phishing email scams.

Spear phishing-as-a-service

Spear phishing is a more targeted form of cyber attack where a specific individual is researched and a tailored email prepared. The target is usually a system administrator or other high privilege user. Our social engineering assessment will test the susceptibility of an agreed target to reveal confidential information.

Business email compromise

A BEC is a type of cyber attack that involves the impersonation of a senior executive. The goal is to trick an employee, customer or supply chain partner into wiring payment for goods or services to an alternate bank account. Our social engineering testing service simulates a business email compromise attack.

CyberOne’s Social Engineering Testing Process

CyberOne’s approach to social engineering testing mirrors the latest tactics used by fraudsters. We follow CREST methodology guidelines to maximise the effectiveness of your social engineering assessment.

Scoping

Accurate scoping ensures that your social engineering test is meticulously crafted to meet all your security and business objectives.

Intelligence gathering

We use open-source intelligence gathering techniques (OSINT) to identify valuable company and employee information that could be used to target your organisation.

Exploitation

Our ethical hackers execute the agreed social engineering tests.

Reporting

Results are presented in an easy-to-understand report with prioritised recommendations.

Key drivers for CyberOne social engineering testing

Social engineering testing is a crucial component of comprehensive security assessments for organisations. While technological advancements have significantly enhanced security measures, social engineering continues to pose a significant threat as it targets the inherent vulnerabilities of human nature.

At CyberOne, our social engineering assessments will identify and expose weaknesses in an organisation’s human-centric security defences, highlighting the need for robust employee awareness, education, and effective security protocols.

By simulating real-world social engineering attacks, organisations can proactively assess their resilience to such tactics and develop strategies to fortify their defences against this ever-evolving threat landscape.

Identify key vulnerabilities

Understand how susceptible your employees are to social engineering scams and the impact of a social engineering attack.

Understand your information footprint

Social engineering assessments reveal the sensitive information that is freely available in the public domain about your organisation and employees.

Assess you your defences

Evaluate your organisation’s cybersecurity controls to ensure they are effective at identifying and blocking phishing attacks.

Raise cyber awareness

Highlight good and bad security practices and leverage recommendations to drive improvements.

Optimise security training

Use results from your social engineering assessment to improve employee security awareness training programmes.

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Learn more about how CyberOne social engineering testing can protect your business.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is social engineering testing?

Social engineering testing is a process that assesses an organisation’s vulnerability to manipulation and deception by attempting to exploit human psychology and behaviour. A social engineering assessment involves simulating real-world social engineering attacks to evaluate the effectiveness of an organisation’s security controls and identify areas of weakness.

Why is social engineering testing important?

Social engineering attacks are a significant threat to organisations, as they exploit human vulnerabilities rather than technical weaknesses. Conducting social engineering testing helps identify potential risks and vulnerabilities within an organisation’s human-centric security defences. It also raises awareness among employees, promotes education, and allows for the development of effective countermeasures.

What is the most common social engineering attack?

The most common social engineering attack is phishing. Phishing involves the use of deceptive emails, instant messages, or other forms of communication to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal information.

What are the risks of social engineering?

Social engineering poses several risks to organisations and individuals including:

  • Unauthorised access to sensitive information or systems
  • Increased risk of data breaches and security compromises
  • Potential exposure of confidential information
  • Higher chance of identity theft or fraud
  • Financial losses through fraudulent transactions
  • Negative impact on an organisation’s reputation
  • Loss of customer trust and confidence
  • Potential legal and regulatory consequences
  • Disruption of business operations
  • Compromised network security and infrastructure

What are the benefits of social engineering testing?

Social engineering testing offers several benefits to organisations. It helps identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in an organisation’s human-centric security defences that may not be apparent through traditional security assessments. By identifying these weaknesses, organisations can implement targeted security awareness training programs and strengthen their overall security posture.

How often should social engineering testing be conducted?

The frequency of social engineering testing may vary depending on factors such as the organisation’s size, industry and risk profile. Generally, it is recommended to conduct social engineering testing at regular intervals, either annually or biannually, to assess the evolving threat landscape and ensure that security measures remain effective. Additionally, organisations may conduct testing after significant security incidents or changes to their infrastructure or workforce.