SERVICES
Social Engineering
Test how your people and processes respond to real-world deception tactics and reduce risk from human-focused attacks.
Why Organizations Need Social Engineering
OnDefend social engineering testing evaluates how employees, processes, and response workflows perform when faced with realistic deception tactics used by modern threat actors. The goal is not just to measure click rates but to understand where controls fail, how incidents are handled, and what changes will meaningfully improve resilience and security awareness.
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Types of Social Engineering Testing
Phishing
Simulated malicious emails designed to replicate real-world threats such as credential harvesting, malware delivery, and business email compromise (BEC).
Smishing
Simulated SMS and text-based attacks that test mobile device security, remote workforce readiness, and employee ability to recognize and report mobile threats.
Vishing
Voice-based social engineering campaigns, including live or automated calls, designed to test how employees handle requests for sensitive information or urgent actions under pressure.
Physical Social Engineering
Controlled, on-site or access-based testing designed to evaluate how employees, visitors, and physical security controls respond to impersonation, tailgating, badge misuse, or unauthorized access attempts.
Privilege Escalation & Trust Abuse
We elevate access by exploiting weaknesses, misconfigurations, and implicit trust relationships.
Reconnaissance & Lateral Movement
We quietly map the environment and move across identities and systems once inside.
Evasion & Dwell Operations
We deliberately evade controls and operate over time to measure true visibility and detection capability.
Impact Demonstration & Data Exfiltration
We safely demonstrate attacker impact, including controlled data access and removal, without business disruption.
OnDefend Methodology
We follow a structured, controlled process to safely simulate social engineering attacks and evaluate both human and procedural resilience.
Planning and Scoping
Planning and Scoping
Define objectives, scenarios, target groups, and success criteria while aligning with business and compliance requirements.
Pretext Development
Pretext Development
Design realistic attacker narratives and lures tailored to your organization, industry, and threat profile.
Attack Simulation
Attack Simulation
Deliver phishing emails, smishing texts, or vishing calls using safe, controlled payloads that pose no operational risk.
Detection and Response Evaluation
Detection and Response Evaluation
Assess how effectively employees and security teams identify, report, escalate, and respond to social engineering attempts.
Analysis and Reporting
Analysis and Reporting
Provide clear metrics, narrative findings, and prioritized recommendations to address vulnerabilities and response gaps.
Giving You The Competitive Advantage
Social engineering assessments by OnDefend are designed to deliver realistic testing, meaningful insight, and actionable outcomes – not generic simulations.
Our Team
Partners with Yours
We work closely with security, IT, HR, and leadership teams to ensure testing reflects real operational conditions and organizational culture. The focus is on improving readiness and confidence (not assigning blame) so teams are better prepared when a real attack occurs.
Resources
Explore our comprehensive resource collection to enhance your organization’s security posture and stay ahead of potential threats.
TikTok Partnership
HaystackID and OnDefend are furthering security of the TikTok U.S. platform & app.
Read ArticleSocial Engineering Testing FAQs
What is phishing?
Phishing is a social engineering technique where attackers send deceptive emails designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links, opening infected attachments, or providing sensitive information such as credentials or financial data.
What is smishing?
Smishing is a form of phishing conducted via SMS or text messages. These attacks often use urgency or impersonation to convince recipients to click malicious links or take unsafe actions on mobile devices.
What is vishing?
Vishing is voice-based social engineering where attackers use phone calls or automated messages to pressure individuals into sharing sensitive information or performing actions such as transferring funds or resetting credentials.
What is physical social engineering?
Physical social engineering involves in-person or access-based deception tactics where attackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to facilities, systems, or people by exploiting trust, impersonation, or procedural weaknesses. This can include tailgating, badge misuse, posing as employees or vendors, or bypassing visitor controls.
Is this a real attack on our employees?
No. All campaigns are simulated and controlled, designed to safely emulate real-world tactics without causing harm or operational disruption.
Do employees know they are being tested?
This depends on scope and objectives. Testing can be blind or announced, depending on whether the goal is measurement, training reinforcement, or validation.
Will this impact production systems?
No. All simulations use safe payloads and controlled techniques that do not impact systems or data.
Can results be used to improve training programs?
Yes. Findings are often used to refine awareness training, reporting workflows, and incident response procedures.
How often should social engineering testing be performed?
Most organizations conduct testing annually or after major changes to workforce structure, tooling, or threat exposure.
Ready to See Your Real Attack Paths?
Contact us to scope your social engineering engagement.
