Social Engineering Attacks: How to Train Your Team to Spot Them

Cybercriminals are getting smarter, not just with their tools, but with their tactics. While many companies invest in firewalls and antivirus software, they often overlook the biggest vulnerability: human behavior. Social engineering attacks exploit psychology, not just technology. These manipulative tactics trick employees into giving up sensitive information, clicking malicious links, or granting unauthorized access. That’s why employee training is just as critical as technical defenses.

At Combined Technology, we help businesses create security-first cultures. In this article, we’ll walk you through how social engineering works, common tactics to watch for, and how to train your team to become your strongest line of defense.

What Is a Social Engineering Attack?

Social engineering is the use of deception to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes. These attacks bypass traditional security tools by targeting human judgment.

Common goals of social engineering attacks include:

• Gaining access to systems or data
• Installing malware or ransomware
• Harvesting login credentials
• Trick employees into wire transfers or invoice payments

These attacks often begin with simple actions, an email, a phone call, a LinkedIn message, and escalate quickly if undetected.

The Most Common Social Engineering Techniques

Employees should be aware of the many forms these attacks can take. Here are the most common:

1. Phishing

A fraudulent email that appears to come from a trusted source. It often urges immediate action, like clicking a link, updating credentials, or downloading an attachment.

2. Spear Phishing

A more targeted version of phishing. Attackers customize emails using personal information gathered from social media or company websites to appear more convincing.

3. Pretexting

The attacker pretends to be someone else, such as a coworker, vendor, or government official, to gain trust and request sensitive data.

4. Baiting

Offering something enticing (e.g., a free USB drive, a gift card, or software download) in exchange for user action. The reward is fake, but the damage is real.

5. Tailgating

In physical offices, attackers may “tailgate” employees into secured areas by following closely behind them without authorization.

How to Train Employees to Detect Social Engineering

Training should be clear, practical, and recurring. Here’s how to equip your team with the skills to spot and stop threats:

1. Teach the Red Flags

Employees should learn how to identify suspicious signs, such as:

• Unexpected urgency or pressure to act fast
• Typos, strange grammar, or unusual greetings
• Mismatched sender names and email domains
• Requests for login credentials or financial data

Use real-world examples from recent attacks to make training more relatable.

2. Simulate Phishing Attacks

Run regular phishing simulations to test your employees’ reactions. These controlled tests help:

• Reinforce recognition skills
• Identify at-risk departments or individuals
• Create a culture of vigilance without punishment

According to KnowBe4, simulated phishing tests can reduce real-world risk by up to 87%.

3. Promote a “Stop and Think” Culture

Encourage employees to pause before clicking or responding, especially when the request is unusual, urgent, or emotional. A moment of hesitation can prevent a major breach.

4. Implement a Simple Reporting Process

Make it easy for employees to report suspicious emails or interactions. Use a one-click button or dedicated inbox. Reward proactive behavior to foster accountability and openness.

5. Train Everyone, Not Just IT

Social engineering doesn’t target just tech staff. Finance, HR, sales, and customer service teams are often prime targets. Your training should be company-wide, with examples tailored to each department.

Make Security an Ongoing Conversation

Social engineering attacks evolve constantly. Your training strategy should too. Here are a few tips to keep cybersecurity top of mind:

• Include quick security tips in team meetings
• Send monthly newsletters with recent scam examples
• Update training content quarterly with the latest tactics
• Celebrate “caught” phishing attempts to reinforce positive behavior

Why Social Engineering Is So Effective

The success of these attacks lies in how they manipulate human emotions, fear, curiosity, urgency, trust. For example:

• “You’ve been locked out of your account, click here to reset.”
• “There’s been suspicious activity on your credit card.”
• “I need you to wire funds for an urgent invoice.”

These messages create panic and bypass rational thinking. That’s why cybersecurity awareness is as much about emotional intelligence as technical knowledge.

Strengthen Your Defenses with a Layered Approach

Training is one part of the solution. Combined Technology recommends pairing human-focused defense with technical controls, such as:

• Email filters and phishing protection
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Endpoint monitoring tools
• Access controls and user role restrictions

Our Cyber Security Solutions combine advanced tools with user education to minimize your risk across the board.

At Combined Technology, we help businesses in Oklahoma build smarter, safer workplaces through education, monitoring, and strategy. Let’s build a training program that fits your people and your goals.

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