Social engineering assessment is a simulated test which aims to measure the information security awareness levels of an organization’s personnel by exploiting its employees natural humanly tendencies of trust, friendliness, pre-conceived assumptions, authoritative biases, emotional needs, among others. In Social engineering tests, the assessment team attempts to make direct contact with targets, either by telephone or in person or sometimes even through physical access of restricted areas within the organization.
The assessment uses psychological manipulation to deceive people into performing adverse actions like clicking on fabricated links, opening malicious attachments, sharing personal details and divulging confidential information about the organization. During the test, the social engineering team develops user-context specific pretexts that are familiar to targeted employees, and then uses their trust to lure them into taking unwarranted actions. Such tests often completely bypass technical security controls.
The ultimate impact of a real-world social engineering includes complete compromise of organization including business data, employee information, emails, credentials, source code, customer data, etc.
At GRC360, our Social Engineering services are tailored to assist our customers in comprehensively assessing the organization’s ability to detect and respond to targeted social engineering attacks. We understand the critical importance of safeguarding your organization against evolving threats, which is why our assessments are meticulously planned and executed in close collaboration with your team.
Our assessments delve deep into the intricacies of your organization’s systems, processes, and personnel to evaluate their resilience against social engineering tactics. By simulating the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by adversaries, we provide a holistic review of the technical, process, and people controls implemented within your organization.
Through our rigorous assessments, we deliver actionable insights and tangible outcomes to strengthen your security posture:
Identifying Employee Behavioral Risks: We meticulously analyze employee behavior to identify potential risks that could lead to sensitive information leakage, empowering you to proactively mitigate these vulnerabilities.
Understanding Digital Footprint: Gain a comprehensive understanding of your organization’s digital footprint and information exposure in the public domain. This insight enables you to mitigate potential threats effectively and protect your sensitive assets.
Evaluating Technical Controls: Assess the effectiveness of your technical controls in detecting and responding to social engineering attacks. By identifying weaknesses, we help you implement robust measures to enhance your security posture.
Highlighting Weaknesses in Cybersecurity Awareness: Our assessments highlight weaknesses in employee cybersecurity awareness, enabling you to implement targeted training programs and awareness campaigns to bolster your organization’s defenses.
Recommend Context-Specific Solutions: Based on our assessment findings, we provide tailored recommendations and solutions to address your organization’s unique challenges. These recommendations are designed to improve human behavior and sensitivity towards cybersecurity, enhancing your overall security resilience.
At GRC360, our social engineering assessment follows a systematic and thorough methodology to ensure comprehensive evaluation and actionable insights. Our approach is structured into the following key phases:
1. Information Gathering and OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence)
In this initial phase, we conduct extensive information gathering and OSINT activities to gather intelligence about your organization. This includes researching publicly available information, analyzing social media profiles, and identifying potential entry points for social engineering attacks.
2. Target Profiling and Finalizing Attack Mode
Once we have gathered sufficient information, we profile potential targets within your organization and finalize the attack mode. This involves identifying individuals or departments most susceptible to social engineering tactics and selecting the most appropriate approach for the assessment.
3. Launching the Test
With our targets and attack mode identified, we launch the social engineering test. Our highly skilled professionals execute carefully crafted scenarios to simulate real-world social engineering attacks. These scenarios are designed to test various aspects of your organization’s security posture, including employee awareness, technical controls, and response procedures.
4. Analysis of Test Results
Following the test, we meticulously analyze the results to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your organization’s defenses. This includes evaluating how effectively your systems and personnel detected and responded to the simulated attacks.
5. Reporting
Finally, we provide a comprehensive report detailing our findings, observations, and recommendations. Our reports are tailored to provide actionable insights, prioritized recommendations, and strategic guidance for enhancing your organization’s security posture. We also offer post-assessment support to assist with the implementation of recommended solutions and ongoing security improvements.
At GRC360, our social engineering assessments are tailored to meet user awareness evaluation and training requirements aligned with industry benchmarks such as:
Compliance with internationally recognized standards for information security management systems ensures organizations establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve robust security practices. This commitment demonstrates organizational dedication to effectively managing information security risks, fostering trust among stakeholders, and maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Addressing user awareness evaluation and training needs within the framework of PCI-DSS ensures organizations safeguard payment card data effectively. This approach emphasizes the importance of educating employees about their roles and responsibilities in maintaining compliance with PCI-DSS requirements, ultimately reducing the risk of data breaches and enhancing overall security posture.
Aligning with cyber security guidelines from regulatory authorities is essential for enhancing overall security posture and ensuring compliance. By adhering to these guidelines, organizations can effectively identify and address security risks, implement appropriate controls, and demonstrate a commitment to protecting sensitive information. This alignment not only strengthens security measures but also helps organizations stay ahead of evolving threats and regulatory expectations, fostering trust and confidence among stakeholders.
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Evaluate susceptibility to sophisticated email-based attacks, ranging from generic to highly targeted campaigns, assessing employee awareness and response.
Assess resilience against voice-based social engineering (vishing) attacks through targeted phone campaigns, identifying vulnerabilities in phone-based security measures.
Test detection and mitigation of phishing attempts via text messages, assessing readiness to counter SMS-based social engineering tactics.
Assess awareness and response to phishing attempts in chat environments through social engineering tactics deployed via popular messaging or chat services.
Evaluate physical security controls by simulating scenarios where unauthorized individuals attempt to gain access to restricted areas by following employees.
Evaluate physical security measures by attempting to gain unauthorized physical entry to premises, identifying weaknesses in physical access controls.
Unlock the power of security resilience with GRC360! Elevate your defenses and safeguard your organization from evolving cyber threats. Whether you’re looking to fortify your systems, enhance employee awareness, or ensure regulatory compliance, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today and discover why businesses trust GRC360 for unparalleled expertise, tailored solutions, and unwavering support. Request Consultation
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