What Is Social Engineering? Signs, Types, and Safety Tips

Cybersecurity often fails because of the human element. Companies can deploy the latest AI-powered intrusion detection and antivirus software, yet a single manipulated employee can open the door for an attacker. That is what social engineering targets: people and their emotions.

Unlike technical exploits that take advantage of software or system weaknesses, these attacks can hide in everyday communication. They can appear as emails, phone calls, innocent-looking links, or sometimes even a trusted site that’s been hacked.

Our guide reveals what a social engineer is and the tactics they use to successfully manipulate people. It also outlines practical defenses you can use to detect and avoid these scams.

What Is a Social Engineering Attack?

Social engineering is a form of psychological manipulation that tricks people into taking actions that weaken security. These actions can include:

• Sharing login credentials
• Approving fraudulent payments
• Installing malicious software
• Granting access to restricted systems

Rather than exploiting code or infrastructure flaws, attackers exploit predictable human responses to urgency, fear, curiosity, or authority. This is why this approach is sometimes referred to as “human hacking.” 

They study how people react to emotional triggers and then use those pressures to bypass your caution. Because the victim performs the action voluntarily, these attacks can bypass firewalls and other technical defenses.

Social engineering is often only the first step. Once attackers gain an initial foothold, they may escalate privileges, deploy malware, steal data, or move laterally through networks. 

How Does Social Engineering Work?

Social engineering attacks typically unfold in stages, with each interaction designed to feel routine and credible. Attackers start by gathering background information about their target. Public profiles, workplace details, data from previous breaches, and everyday online activity often provide enough context to craft a convincing approach.

Using this information, the attacker makes contact in a way that blends into normal workflows. Messages may appear to come from IT support, a financial institution, a vendor, or a colleague, often referencing real systems, names, or processes to reinforce legitimacy. They’re often framed to sound urgent (“your account will be locked”), official (“IRS security verification”), or enticing (“unclaimed reward”), creating an emotional response that overrides careful judgment.

Once trust is established, the attacker then applies pressure or temptation to prompt an action, such as opening an attachment. For instance, in September 2023, hackers penetrated MGM Resorts through a simple phone call to the IT help desk by impersonating an employee and asking for a password reset. 

What makes social engineering especially dangerous is that it doesn’t rely on technical exploits most of the time. It preys on routine habits: employees following internal requests, users rushing through alerts, or finance teams trusting verified invoices.

Types of Social Engineering

Different social engineering attacks rely on the same human weaknesses and emotions, which is why many of them can overlap. A phishing email can lead to pretexting, and a fake “tech support” call can turn into a quid pro quo exchange. In some cases, these tactics escalate into broader incidents such as data breaches, company-wide fraud, or identity theft.

Studying the most common types helps you recognize manipulation patterns early, before they escalate into real damage.

Phishing (Deceptive Emails and Messages)

Phishing is a fake message that tricks you into revealing sensitive information, installing malware, granting access, or transferring money. It feels authentic because scammers reuse real logos, phrasing, and layouts from legitimate companies. In 2024, phishing was the most reported cybercrime, with over 193,000 cases logged by the FBI.

Bulk Phishing (Spray-and-Pray)

In bulk phishing, attackers send identical messages to as many people as possible. The messages often leverage well-known brands and urgency to increase the odds of someone clicking. Even minimal success rates can produce large gains for scammers.

In early 2025, CoGUI generated more than 580 million fraudulent emails, impersonating Amazon, Apple, and other major companies.

Spear Phishing (Targeted Attacks)

Unlike bulk phishing, spear phishing is highly targeted. Attackers research a specific person or small group and craft messages just for them using openly available data from social media platforms, company sites, or data broker records.

For example, a spear phisher may send an email that appears to come from a coworker and includes a malicious attachment or a link to a fake login page. The typical goal is to gain access, steal sensitive information, or establish a foothold inside an organization. 

When this type of targeted attack focuses on senior executives or other high-profile individuals, it’s often referred to as whaling. In some cases, spear phishing serves as an entry point for larger fraud schemes, including business email compromise. One well-known case involved an Austrian aerospace firm that fell victim to an email impersonating the CEO’s requests and lost approximately €50 million. 

Vishing (Voice Phishing)

Voice phishing attackers contact you via phone or use pre-recorded messages. Modern vishing campaigns sometimes use AI-generated voices or deepfake audio that mimic real people. 

In one widely reported case involving Arup, criminals used real-time deepfake technology to impersonate Arup’s CFO and other colleagues during a video call. The attackers convinced a finance worker in Hong Kong to transfer $25 million.

Angler Phishing (Social Media Support Scams)

Angler phishing exploits trust in customer service on social media. Attackers watch for complaints or support requests, then reply from fake accounts that look official. These messages direct users to “verification” links that capture credentials.

Smishing (SMS/Text Phishing)

Attackers send a text that looks like an alert from a bank, a delivery service, or another trusted entity, usually with a link to click. A classic smishing example is a text claiming “Your package delivery is delayed – visit this link to reschedule” or “Suspicious activity detected on your bank account, verify here.” The link typically leads to a fake login page that steals your credentials or a site that infects your phone with malware.

Search Engine Phishing

Scammers create fake websites that imitate well-known brands or services and use paid ads or search engine optimization tactics to appear higher in the search results. Clicking these sites can expose login or payment details and may lead to malicious downloads or redirects.

Pretexting (Impersonation Stories)

A pretexting attack relies on creating a convincing story to justify unusual requests. Scammers research their targets and impersonate trusted roles such as IT support, HR, or auditors while mimicking internal language, procedures, or policies to sound legitimate.

For example, an attacker posing as an IT technician may claim a system audit has flagged an account issue and request login credentials to “resolve the problem.” In other cases, the request may push the victim into downloading malware, sending money to criminals, or otherwise harming themselves or the organization they work for. The goal is to build credibility through a convincing story and persuade the victim to take a risky action.

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

BEC is a highly targeted fraud that exploits trust to trigger a specific financial action. Attackers impersonate executives, finance staff, or trusted vendors after researching internal roles, workflows, and payment processes.

For example, a finance employee may receive an email that appears to come from a senior executive requesting an urgent wire transfer or a change to vendor payment details. The message is crafted to look routine or confidential, but its purpose is to move money to an attacker-controlled account. This level of personalization has driven major financial losses, with the FBI reporting $2.7 billion in BEC-related losses in 2024 alone.

Quid Pro Quo

A quid pro quo scam is built around an explicit exchange: the attacker offers help, a service, or a reward in return for information or access. It’s essentially a “favor for a favor” tactic that exploits reciprocity.

The attacker may offer to fix a problem but ask the victim to install remote-access software or share credentials as part of the “assistance.” Once access is granted, attackers can steal data, install spyware, or create backdoors for future device access.

Baiting

Baiting exploits curiosity or greed to trick you into downloading malware disguised as a gift card, free access to paid content, or other “freebies.” Many baiting schemes hide on fake download pages disguised as tools or updates. Clicking them can silently install spyware, keyloggers, or other harmful programs. 

Physical bait is also common. Attackers may leave infected USB flash drives in parking lots, bathrooms, or elevators, labeled with something intriguing like “HR Salary Data” or “Confidential,” hoping someone plugs them in out of curiosity or a desire to identify the owner.  

In one reported case, malware was discovered at two US power plants and was believed to have spread through infected USB drives introduced into secure systems.

Scareware

While baiting relies on temptation, scareware relies on fear. This tactic uses alarming messages to pressure victims into downloading fake security software or paying for unnecessary “cleanup” services. It often mimics antivirus alerts or system warnings that claim your device is infected or at risk. Clicking the pop-up installs malware or connects you to fraudulent support sites.

Watering Hole and In-Session Phishing

A watering hole attack happens when hackers inject malicious code into websites that a specific group regularly visits, such as an industry forum or a supply vendor site. Simply loading the compromised page can silently infect your device.  

In-session phishing follows a similar concept within an active browsing session. Instead of compromising the site itself, attackers inject fake prompts or pop-ups while you are already using a legitimate website. These prompts often mimic re-login requests, update notices, or security alerts. Because they appear within a trusted session, they can seem credible and are harder to spot than attacks delivered by email or phone.

Tailgating and Piggybacking

Tailgating happens when attackers physically slip into an unauthorized space, such as a data center, without the victim’s knowledge. For example, an attacker may walk closely behind an employee into a locked office building, catching the door before it closes. This tactic exploits common courtesy, such as holding doors open for others. 

Piggybacking differs slightly: the attacker gains access with help from an authorized user. This can involve an active authenticated session, unattended devices, or being allowed into a secure area, such as when someone holds open a restricted door or shares their credentials.

Account Takeover Scam

Account takeover scams spread through compromised accounts that send messages to friends or coworkers. Attackers use real profiles to send believable links or attachments, making targets lower their guard. Once a contact clicks, the malware can take over their account and continue spreading the scam.

Catfishing

Catfishing social engineering attacks (also called relationship or “pig-butchering” scams) exploit emotional trust. Scammers build long-term fake relationships using stolen photos and personal stories. Once trust forms, they request money or propose fraudulent investments, often over weeks or months.

How to Protect Yourself from Social Engineering Attacks

Even security experts can be fooled by a scam if it appears trustworthy and fits their expectations.

Firewalls and antivirus software alone can’t prevent someone from following a fake instruction that looks legitimate. The attack surface in social engineering is so wide that a single careless action from one family member or employee can expose an entire network or database.

However, you can significantly reduce the risk by combining awareness, smart habits, and reliable security tools such as: 

• Verify unexpected requests: Double-check any message that asks for money, credentials, internal access, or unusual actions, even if it appears to come from a known contact.
• Check sender details closely: Watch for misspellings or subtle changes in email addresses, such as “@paypaIl.com” instead of “@paypal.com.”
• Pause when you feel pressured: Scammers rely on urgency; if a message demands immediate action, slow down and verify before responding.
• Check unknown links or attachments: Hover over links to confirm the real address, upload suspicious files to an antivirus scanner, or avoid them entirely.
• Ignore tempting offers: Too-good-to-be-true promotions, sudden refunds, or prize notifications usually hide a trap.
• Notice tone and context: Question messages with odd phrasing, unusual greetings, or unexpected timing.
• Avoid oversharing online: The more details criminals find about you from social networks and data brokers, the easier it is for them to gain your trust.
• Verify site security: HTTPS and a padlock icon mean the connection is encrypted, but they don’t confirm a site is legitimate. Before entering sensitive information, check that the domain name is spelled correctly and matches the official website.
• Use strong passwords: Use unique passwords for every account and update them regularly to prevent one breach from compromising others.
• Enable two-factor authentication: Add a one-time code requirement to your logins whenever possible. 
• Keep systems updated: Turn on automatic software updates, enable spam filters, and use reliable antivirus software.
• Protect your online activity with a VPN: Connect to a reputable VPN service to protect your traffic and location from interceptors, especially on public Wi-Fi.
• Raise awareness: Encourage employees or household members to report suspicious messages and participate in training or phishing simulations.

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