One phone call could be all it takes to bring your business to its knees.
That’s the chilling reality of social engineering. It’s a type of cyberattack that doesn’t rely on clever coding or fancy tech. Instead, it targets your people. And it’s becoming one of the biggest threats to businesses of all sizes.
Social engineering is when a criminal manipulates someone into giving up sensitive information or access to systems.
It often starts with a phone call or email from someone pretending to be a colleague, a supplier, or even a senior manager. They might sound friendly, urgent, or frustrated… anything to get the response they want.
And if your staff aren’t on high alert, that one conversation could open the door to your entire network.
A favorite target for these attacks? Your customer service team. They’re trained to be helpful and solve problems quickly.
But if someone calls pretending to be locked out of their account and urgently needs a password reset, it’s easy to see how a well-meaning team member could be tricked into handing over access.
From there, it’s game over. Attackers can install ransomware, steal customer data, or snoop around in your systems undetected.
The worst part is this kind of attack is simple to pull off. And highly effective. That’s why even small businesses need to take it seriously.
So, what can you do?
Start by training your team to be cautious of unusual requests, even if they sound legitimate. And don’t rely on memory or gut instinct. Put strong identity verification procedures in place that everyone follows, every time. Technology can help with this by adding extra checks before any sensitive action is taken.
Remember, cybercriminals don’t need to break in when someone will open the door for them. But with the right awareness and safeguards, you can make sure your team knows how to keep it firmly shut.
Need help keeping your team on top of cybersecurity best practices? Get in touch.