Social Engineering: Recognising and preventing human hacking
No matter how advanced scam protection becomes, many attacks choose to focus on the human component. Whether it’s tricking an employee to accidentally share confidential data or falling for a phishing scam, there are numerous ways hackers try to use your people to get access to your systems.
Of course, the best defence against social engineering is ensuring your team is educated and aware of attacks. By teaching them what to look out for, you can help keep your business and your clients safe from manipulation-based breaches.
Understanding social engineering and its impact on UK businesses
When it comes to cybersecurity, the human element is often considered the weakest link. That’s because we can often be tricked by tactics such as spear phishing (targeted at one specific person) or attempts to build empathy.
There are several ways hackers and scammers attempt to manipulate people to gain unauthorised access. Some of these can include posing as a potential client or employee, with harmful data packages included in their file attachments.
Phishing attacks are among the most common and disruptive to businesses, with businesses reporting an average loss of £3,550 per breach.
Sophisticated techniques and AI-driven attacks in 2025
With the rise of AI, phishing attacks are only getting more convincing. This new technology allows cyber-criminals to quickly create deepfakes, using both visual and audio to further develop trust. For instance, an employee could now receive a voice note from what appears and sounds like their CEO, asking to provide access or transfer funds.
Because these techniques are evolving at such a rapid rate, everyone needs to be aware of potential scams and attacks.
Recognising common social engineering attacks
Perhaps the largest thing to watch out for is any suspicious behaviour. Common cyber attacks typically rely on urgency and pressure to get you to complete a task without thinking about any potential issues. You should also look out for poor spelling and grammar, unfamiliar senders (like a trusted contact using a new phone number), requests for personal information, and mismatched URLs/email addresses.
While there can be genuine reasons for any one of these issues, having multiple ‘warnings’ in the same messages can highlight that it’s a phishing attack. Ultimately, being aware of these red flags can help protect you and the business.
Practical prevention strategies tailored for UK businesses
The best way to deal with social engineering attacks is to ensure your people are trained regularly to spot the ever-evolving roster of cyber attacks. Whether it’s messages from an unfamiliar number or emails from an email address that appears legitimate, adequate training can help ensure your people can protect your business.
If your employees work remotely, you may want to use a small business VPN. This ensures that only authorised devices can access your company’s digital infrastructure, providing another layer of safety.
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