Understanding Social Engineering Attacks: Why Your Employees Are the Primary Target
Social engineering attacks don’t require brute force or complex malware.
Instead, cybercriminals manipulate people to gain access to your business systems. By exploiting human psychology, attackers bypass even the strongest technical safeguards.
Inside the 2020 Twitter Breach: Social Engineering at Work
For example, in 2020, Twitter suffered a major breach when hackers used social engineering tactics to trick employees into revealing credentials. The attackers then accessed high-profile accounts—including those of Elon Musk and Barack Obama—to promote a cryptocurrency scam.
Here’s a reliable source detailing how the 2020 Twitter hack was carried out using social engineering attacks on employees:
- The New York Department of Financial Services investigation report describes how hackers used phone-based social engineering (vishing) to trick staff into giving up credentials, enabling access to internal tools and leading to the takeover of high-profile accounts
Clearly, social engineering attacks are not just theoretical threats. They are real, sophisticated, and increasingly common. Protecting your business starts with understanding how these attacks work—and educating your team to recognize and resist them.
Social engineering attacks come in many forms. You’ve likely heard of phishing, baiting, or tailgating—each uses a different tactic, but all share one goal: to manipulate a person’s behavior and gain unauthorized access.
Understanding how these attacks work is the first step to stopping them. This blog will break down the psychology behind social engineering attacks and, more importantly, show you how to proactively protect your team—before they become the next target.
Why Social Engineering Works: The Psychology Hack Behind Every Attack
Social engineering works because it taps into basic human instincts. People naturally trust others—especially when nothing seems obviously threatening. Cybercriminals understand this and actively use that trust to manipulate behavior.
Psychological Techniques: The Tactics Behind Social Engineering Attacks
Once they build that initial trust, they quickly apply proven psychological tactics to pressure you into taking action—often before you realize what’s happening.
Authority Manipulation:
In social engineering attacks, cybercriminals often impersonate someone with power—like a CEO or finance manager. They send urgent, authoritative messages such as, “Transfer these funds immediately and confirm once done,” making the request seem unquestionable.
Urgency Pressure:
Social engineering attacks frequently create a false sense of urgency. Messages like “Your account will be deactivated in 15 minutes” are designed to rush you into action before thinking critically or verifying the request.
Fear Tactics:
Attackers use fear to manipulate behavior. A social engineering message might warn, “Your data has been compromised—click here to secure your account,” prompting quick action out of panic.
Greed Exploitation:
Some social engineering attacks lure victims with tempting offers. For example, an email might promise, “Click to claim your $50 reward,” playing on your desire for gain to trick you into clicking malicious links.
These techniques aren’t randomly chosen. Instead, attackers carefully craft them to resemble everyday business communication. As a result, they can be incredibly hard to detect—unless you know the warning signs to watch for.
How to Protect Your Business from Social Engineering Attacks
You can begin defending your business against social engineering attacks by applying clear, consistent practices that your entire team can understand and follow. Here’s how:
First, raise awareness and educate your team:
Train employees to recognize how social engineering attacks use urgency, authority, and fear to manipulate their responses. As a result, your staff becomes more alert and better equipped to resist these tactics.
Next, reinforce cybersecurity best practices:
Remind your team to avoid clicking suspicious links, opening unknown attachments, or replying to unexpected requests for information. By doing so, they minimize entry points for attackers.
Then, verify all sensitive requests:
Instruct employees never to act on requests involving credentials, financial data, or transfers without confirming them through a trusted, independent channel—such as a direct phone call or face-to-face confirmation. This step helps prevent fraud.
Also, encourage a pause before action:
Ask your team to slow down and assess any message that feels urgent or out of the ordinary. Often, taking a moment can prevent a rushed, regrettable decision.
Moreover, implement multi-factor authentication (MFA):
Require an additional verification step beyond passwords. Even if a password is compromised, MFA significantly reduces the chances of unauthorized access.
Finally, make it easy to report suspicious activity:
Let your employees know how and where to report strange emails, calls, or messages. In turn, early reporting enables your team to stop an attack before it spreads.
Take Action Before the Next Social Engineering Attack
Now that you understand how social engineering attacks work, it’s time to take proactive steps. First, apply the strategies outlined above to increase awareness, enforce best practices, and build a culture of caution within your team.
Next, stay alert for any unusual requests or suspicious messages—especially those that mimic normal business communication. By remaining vigilant, you reduce the risk of falling victim to deceptive tactics.
If you need support, partnering with an experienced IT service provider like us can make a significant difference. Through a no-obligation consultation, we’ll help you assess your current cybersecurity posture, strengthen your defenses, and ensure your business is ready to spot and stop social engineering attacks before they succeed.
👉 Call us today or visit www.cleartechgroup.com/contact to schedule your consultation.