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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