Social Engineering Testing

Discover the Human Vulnerabilities

Our social engineering engagements are designed to identify and mitigate human vulnerabilities through realistic attack simulations, including email phishing attacks.

By exposing these vulnerabilities, we help you strengthen your overall security posture and build resilience against the most persistent threat vector.

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Social engineering is one of the most effective attack vectors used by cybercriminals. By manipulating human psychology, attackers can bypass technical security controls and gain access to sensitive information or systems.

At Exploitr, we provide social engineering engagements that are designed to test your organisation’s resilience against these tactics. Our services include phishing simulations, vishing assessments, physical security testing, and SMS phishing (smishing) tests.

Each engagement is tailored to your specific needs and objectives, providing valuable insights into your employees’ awareness and response capabilities.

Phishing Email Testing

Phishing Email Testing

Our tailored phishing simulations test your employees’ susceptibility to email-based attacks, the most common vector for security breaches.

Each type of phishing campaign is designed to mimic real-world threats, providing valuable insights into your organisation’s security awareness and response capabilities.

  • Targeted Spear Phishing - Customised attacks directed at specific high-value individuals
  • Mass Phishing Assessments - Organisation-wide campaigns to establish baseline security awareness
  • Credential Harvesting Tests - Simulations designed to evaluate how staff handle authentication requests
  • Attachment and Link Testing - Assessment of employee behaviour when receiving suspicious files or URLs
  • Technical Controls Testing - Evaluating the effectiveness of email filtering and security controls against phishing attempts
Vishing (Voice Phishing) Assessments

Vishing (Voice Phishing) Assessments

Our security experts conduct telephone-based social engineering attempts to extract sensitive information, gain unauthorised access to credentials, and test adherence to operational processes.

These assessments help evaluate staff awareness of social manipulation techniques and provide insights into potential vulnerabilities in your organisation’s communication security.

  • Information Extraction - Attempting to obtain sensitive data from employees over the phone
  • Access Credential Testing - Evaluating how staff handle requests for access credentials or sensitive information
  • Verification Protocols - Testing adherence to established verification processes during phone interactions
  • Awareness Training - Identifying gaps in employee training related to social engineering threats
Physical Security Testing

Physical Security Testing

We assess your organisation’s resilience against in-person social engineering through various test scenarios designed to simulate actual social engineering attacks. Our goal is to provide insights into your physical security posture and employee awareness.

Each engagement includes a detailed report with findings and recommendations for improving physical security measures.

  • Tailgating Tests - Attempting to gain physical access by following authorised personnel
  • Impersonation Scenarios - Posing as vendors, contractors, or other trusted parties
  • Device Placement - Testing awareness of unauthorised hardware (e.g., rogue USB drives)
  • Document Handling - Evaluating proper disposal and protection of sensitive materials
SMS Phishing (Smishing) Assessments

SMS Phishing (Smishing) Assessments

With the increasing reliance on mobile devices, our smishing assessments test your staff’s ability to identify and properly respond to suspicious text messages.

These tests help evaluate employee awareness of mobile security threats and provide insights into potential areas for improvement.

  • Malicious Links - Testing employee responses to text messages containing links to phishing sites
  • Sensitive Information Requests - Evaluating how staff handle requests for sensitive data via SMS
  • Impersonation of Trusted Entities - Assessing employee recognition of impersonation attempts through text messages
  • Urgent Action Prompts - Testing reactions to messages that create a sense of urgency or panic

Ready to Test Your Human Firewall?

Contact our team today to discuss how our social engineering engagements can strengthen your organisation's security posture and build resilience against the most persistent threat vector.

Why Choose Our Social Engineering Engagements?

Realistic Threat Simulation: Our engagements mirror the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by actual threat actors, providing an accurate assessment of your security posture against current attack methodologies.

Comprehensive Reporting: After each engagement, we provide a detailed report that includes:

  • Detailed findings and vulnerability analysis
  • Success rates across different departments
  • Specific security awareness gaps identified
  • Prioritised remediation recommendations

Ethical Approach: We conduct all social engineering tests with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity. Our engagements are designed to educate and improve security posture, not to embarrass or penalise staff.

Experienced Practitioners: Our team includes social engineering experts with backgrounds in security operations and penetration testing, ensuring effective assessments that cover the breadth and depth of human vulnerabilities.

Continuous Improvement: We don’t just identify vulnerabilities, we provide actionable insights and support for building a security-aware culture that evolves with changing threats.

Our Platform: The Attack Surface Center provides a secure, collaborative environment for managing your penetration testing projects. You can track progress, access reports, and manage your assets and vulnerabilities in one place.

FAQs

What is social engineering?

Social engineering is the practice of manipulating individuals to influence them to have a desired thought or cause an action. In the context of cybersecurity, this differs from psychological manipulation, as it is used to gain access to sensitive information or systems by exploiting human psychology. Social engineering attacks can take many forms, including phishing emails, vishing (voice phishing), and smishing (SMS phishing).

How do you conduct social engineering tests?

Our social engineering tests are designed to simulate real-world attacks while adhering to ethical guidelines. We work closely with your organisation to define the scope and objectives of each engagement. Our team then develops bespoke scenarios that reflect current threat landscapes and employee behaviours. After the engagement, we provide detailed reports with findings, analysis, and recommendations for improving security awareness and response capabilities.

What are the benefits of social engineering testing?

Social engineering testing provides several benefits, including:

  • Identifying vulnerabilities in employee awareness and response capabilities
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of existing security training programs
  • Enhancing overall security posture by addressing human vulnerabilities
  • Building a culture of security awareness within your organisation
  • Providing actionable insights for improving security policies and procedures

How often should we conduct social engineering tests?

We recommend conducting social engineering tests at least annually, or more frequently if your organisation undergoes significant changes (e.g., new hires, policy updates, or access control system changes). Regular testing helps maintain a high level of security awareness and ensures that employees are prepared to recognise and respond to evolving social engineering threats.

What happens if an employee falls for a social engineering test?

If an employee falls for a social engineering test, we view it as an opportunity for learning and improvement. Our goal is not to embarrass or penalise staff, but to identify gaps in security awareness and provide targeted training. After each engagement, we can conduct debriefing sessions with affected employees to discuss the incident, explain the tactics used, and offer guidance on how to recognise and respond to similar threats in the future. This approach helps foster a culture of continuous improvement and resilience against social engineering attacks.