Skip to main content
Security Assessment

Discover Your Vulnerabilities before Hackers Do! 

Discover Your Vulnerabilities Before Hackers Do!

In this fast-paced world, staying ahead of hackers and attackers is vital. Our personal and company’s security are more important than ever. For this blog, let’s look at the latter. Company security encompasses various things. Because of that, let’s narrow our focus to social engineering for this discussion. Malicious social engineers utilize human vulnerabilities to take advantage of your company and its data. Social engineering was behind many of the major breaches in 2023, and we continue to see this through to today.

How can you discover vulnerabilties before hackers do? One way we recommend is performing a social engineering risk assessment (SERA) on your own company. What exactly is this, and how is it beneficial? Let’s take a look.

Discover Your Vulnerabilities before Hackers Do!

What is SERA?

In a social engineering risk assessment, we start one of two ways. The first option is the client picks specific targets within the organization that they feel may be targeted by malicious attackers. Or they give the Social-Engineer, LLC’s professionals free reign to do some research and then pick those employees themselves. Once the scope and target employees are defined, the work begins.

Open-Source Intelligence Gathering, Pretext Building, and Attacks

The work starts by first performing the Open-Source Intelligence gathering, commonly referred to as OSINT. What this really means is that deep research will be done into the given targets. This research can involve information gathering from personal details to corporate employee information. It all depends on the scope of the project. The research will then be used to craft specific and targeted pretexts. These will be used in the attacks the professional social engineers launch against the chosen targets. The pretexts are developed from the research. For example, imagine details are found via OSINT regarding the employees work duties. These details may be leveraged in an email or phone call that is similar to one the employee may normally receive. Attacks can span from phishing to vishing to smishing.

The results of the OSINT and attacks are then gathered into a comprehensive and detailed report that is the final deliverable for the client.

Why is a SERA Beneficial?

Why, though, is a SERA beneficial? We often hear the saying, “Defenders have to be right every time; attackers just have to be right once.” This means that it only takes one vulnerability to get access. It only takes one employee to give their credentials. You might think, “Oh, no one would ever fall for that attack and give up their password!” But can you be sure without testing? Through Social-Engineer, LLC’s SERA, you can better understand who that is, which vectors they’re vulnerable to, and even which influence techniques are most effective.

Staying Ahead of the Attackers

Staying ahead of the attackers is key. One way we can do this is by testing our company and employees before real attacks happen to determine where our vulnerabilities lie. A social engineering risk assessment is a great place to start. Beginning with OSINT, this assessment delves into the online presence of your chosen employees. Then, testing attacks are launched, revealing where potential vulnerabilities lie. Finally, a report that includes recommendations and mitigations is delivered right to you, assisting you in patching the gaps in your security. Finding your vulnerabilities at the head of the attack chain and stopping them before data is breached is not only advantageous, but necessary. To get in touch with us and start your SERA today, contact Social-Engineer, LLC here for a personalized quote.

Written by:

Shelby Dacko,
Human Risk Analyst at Social-Engineer, LLC

Tags:

Security Assessment Case Study
Learn more about the importance of a Social Engineering Risk Assessment.
Download Now
Security Assessment Case Study
Learn more about the importance of a Social Engineering Risk Assessment.
Download Now
What Makes Us Different
At Social-Engineer, we pride ourselves on what we do and how we do it. We are a security services provider, focusing on four primary attack vectors. This case study will go through how we can protect your company and what makes us different.
Download Now
What Makes Us Different
At Social-Engineer, we pride ourselves on what we do and how we do it. We are a security services provider, focusing on four primary attack vectors. This case study will go through how we can protect your company and what makes us different.
Download Now
Woman vs Machine
Technology is providing new, more innovative ways to enhance our world. Scientists are constantly developing smarter, faster and more intelligent machines, systems and robots. There is no doubt that each of these has evolved beyond their clockwork origins.
Download Now
Woman vs Machine
Technology is providing new, more innovative ways to enhance our world. Scientists are constantly developing smarter, faster and more intelligent machines, systems and robots. There is no doubt that each of these has evolved beyond their clockwork origins.
Download Now
Vishing and Phishing Must Be Ongoing to Be Effective
Most companies have a security awareness program in one form or another. If they don’t, it should be on the short list of programs to start as soon as possible. In our experience, many of these programs take the form of computer-based training.
Download Now
Vishing and Phishing Must Be Ongoing to Be Effective
Most companies have a security awareness program in one form or another. If they don’t, it should be on the short list of programs to start as soon as possible. In our experience, many of these programs take the form of computer-based training.
Download Now
A Case Study in Vishing
Vishing (voice-based phishing) has been a problem for quite a long time. There are many vendors in the marketplace that offer vishing services. However they tend to use robo-callers or call centers for large volume engagements. If they are using trained humans to make calls, it is likely in very low numbers.
Download Now
A Case Study in Vishing
Vishing (voice-based phishing) has been a problem for quite a long time. There are many vendors in the marketplace that offer vishing services. However they tend to use robo-callers or call centers for large volume engagements. If they are using trained humans to make calls, it is likely in very low numbers.
Download Now
Benefits of a Social-Engineering Risk Assessment Engagement
Your company is important. Indeed, the data you hold for your clients or employees is very valuable and attackers seek to capitalize on that data any way they can. This is where a Social Engineering Risk Assessment (SERA) engagement can help uncover possible vulnerability to attackers.
Download Now
Benefits of a Social-Engineering Risk Assessment Engagement
Your company is important. Indeed, the data you hold for your clients or employees is very valuable and attackers seek to capitalize on that data any way they can. This is where a Social Engineering Risk Assessment (SERA) engagement can help uncover possible vulnerability to attackers.
Download Now
The Business Value of the Social-Engineer Phishing Service
Cybercriminals are targeting the human element of organizations. Additionally, they are developing techniques to use an organization’s employees as the first point of entry. According to the 2021 Verizon DBIR report, of the 3,841 security breaches reported using social engineering, phishing was the key vector for over 80% of them.
Download Now
The Business Value of the Social-Engineer Phishing Service
Cybercriminals are targeting the human element of organizations. Additionally, they are developing techniques to use an organization’s employees as the first point of entry. According to the 2021 Verizon DBIR report, of the 3,841 security breaches reported using social engineering, phishing was the key vector for over 80% of them.
Download Now