What is Social Engineering in Cybersecurity?

Published: 17 Aug 2025

Social engineering is responsible for more than 90% of successful cyberattacks worldwide, making it one of the most dangerous threats in the digital world. Social engineering in cybersecurity refers to the use of manipulation, deception, and psychological tricks to convince people to give away sensitive information or grant unauthorized access. Instead of attacking computer systems directly, cybercriminals focus on exploiting human trust — a weakness that no antivirus software or firewall can fully protect against.

Think about it: A convincing phone call from someone claiming to be your bank, a friendly email from what looks like your IT department, or a pop-up offering a “free” software update. All of these could be the start of a social engineering attack. In this guide, we’ll break down what social engineering in cybersecurity is, how it works, the common tactics hackers use, and most importantly — how you can protect yourself.

Most attacks follow these steps:

Research – The attacker collects information about you or your company (from social media, websites, or public data).
Deception – They pretend to be a trusted person, like a coworker or service provider.
Exploitation – They get you to click a malicious link, share credentials, or download a harmful file.
Exit – They disappear, often leaving no trace.

Example: A scammer reads your LinkedIn profile to learn you recently changed jobs. They email you pretending to be HR with a fake “new employee form” to steal your personal details.

Here are the most common examples:

Phishing – Fake emails or messages asking for sensitive info.
Pretexting – Inventing a story to get you to reveal data (e.g., “We’re updating payroll details”).
Baiting – Leaving infected USB drives or fake software downloads as “free gifts.”
Tailgating – Following someone into a secure building without permission.
Vishing – Voice phishing through phone calls.

Watch out for these warning signs:

Urgent requests (“Act now or your account will be closed”).
Messages asking for passwords or financial data.
Links or attachments from unknown senders.
Emails with slightly wrong addresses (e.g., “bank-secure.com” instead of your bank’s real domain).

Example: An “urgent” email from “PayPall.com” asking you to verify your account is a phishing scam.

Verify before you trust – Always confirm requests through official channels.
Never share personal info over phone or email unless you’re sure who’s asking.
Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accounts.
Stay educated – Regular cybersecurity awareness training is key.

Real-life tip: A company stopped a major phishing scam because employees were trained to check suspicious emails with IT first.

The most effective method is awareness combined with security tools:

Train staff to spot scams.
Use anti-phishing email filters.
Monitor accounts for unusual activity.
Have strict company security policies.

Example: A finance department caught a fake invoice scam because their system flagged an unusual payment request.

Feature	Social Engineering	Phishing
Definition	Any trick to manipulate people	A scam using emails or messages
Medium Used	Calls, in-person, online, physical tricks	Mainly email, texts, or fake websites
Scope	Very broad	A subset of social engineering

Conclusion

Social engineering in cybersecurity is still a top risk. Attackers do not break machines first. They trick people. They use fear, urgency, and trust. One quick click can open the door to your data.

You can stop most attacks with steady habits. Slow down. Verify. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA). Keep devices updated. Train your team. Report anything odd. This is how to prevent social engineering in daily work.

Remember, phishing is one type of social engineering. Treat every unexpected link, file, or payment request as suspicious. Call back using official numbers. Check the sender’s email. Hover to preview links before you click.

FAQs

A common example is the 2020 Twitter Bitcoin scam, where attackers tricked employees into giving system access, then used it to hijack high-profile accounts.

What is a SOC in cybersecurity?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a dedicated team that monitors, detects, and responds to cybersecurity threats 24/7.

An example is when hackers impersonate company staff to bypass security checks, as seen in the Scattered Spider attacks on major brands.

The five main tactics are phishing, pretexting, baiting, tailgating, and quid pro quo.

What is Social Engineering in Cybersecurity?

Table of Contents

How Social Engineering Works in Cybersecurity

Common Types of Social Engineering Cybersecurity Attacks

Signs of a Social Engineering Attack in Cybersecurity

How to Prevent Social Engineering in Cybersecurity

What is the Most Effective Way to Detect and Stop Social Engineering Attacks?

Social Engineering vs Phishing in Cybersecurity

Conclusion

FAQs

What is an example of social engineering in cybersecurity?

What is a SOC in cybersecurity?

What is an example of a social engineering cyber claim?

What are the five concepts of social engineering?