Phishing & Social Engineering Testing: The Complete Guide
How social engineering assessments work, what they test, and why the human layer remains the most exploited, and most underprotected, element of any security program.
Technical controls protect systems. Social engineering bypasses them entirely by targeting people. A surprising number of breaches begin not with a sophisticated exploit, but with a single user who clicked a link, read a caller ID, or held a door open. Testing your human layer is not optional. It is essential.
What Is Social Engineering Testing?
Social engineering testing simulates the human-manipulation tactics used by real attackers, including phishing emails, fraudulent phone calls, text message attacks, and in-person physical access attempts, to assess how your staff and detection systems respond. These can be standalone or combined with a network penetration test.
Types of Social Engineering Assessments
- Email phishing: Staged campaigns from broad spam to targeted spear-phishing. Learn more →
- Phone phishing (vishing): Live and automated calls impersonating IT, leadership, or vendors. Learn more →
- SMS phishing (smishing): Text-based attacks that exploit lower user skepticism. Learn more →
- Physical on-site testing: Attempting facility access through deception. Learn more →
What the Report Covers
Every engagement concludes with a comprehensive social engineering report including campaign statistics, individual-level results where authorized, and prioritized remediation recommendations.
Following Up With Security Awareness Training
Real test results are the most powerful input for security awareness training. Employees who fell for a simulated attack are far more receptive to learning why, and what to do differently.
Test your human layer.
Social engineering is the attack vector most likely to succeed in your organization right now.
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