Inside the minds of social hackers: How workplace data is being targeted

Written by the West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre

Almost every company likes to think its biggest threats are digital, things like viruses, ransomware, system breaches.

But in reality, one of the easiest ways into a business is through its people. Social hackers know this. They're not guessing passwords, they’re exploiting trust.

Understanding how these attackers manipulate behaviour using charm, urgency, and just enough context to seem legit can help teams stay one step ahead.

We’re going to be showing you how these attacks work, what real-world examples look like, and how you can start making your company tougher to trick.

The psychology behind social hacking

Humans are wired to trust. We generally want to be helpful, avoid conflict, and respond quickly to things that seem urgent. Social hackers know this and they use it to their advantage.

One of the most common psychological tricks is authority bias.

If someone says they’re from senior management or IT, employees often won’t think twice before responding or following instructions.

The assumption is that people in authority know what they’re doing and questioning them feels like something you’re not “allowed” to do.

There’s also another form of hacking called pretexting, which is when someone pretends to be someone they’re not in order to get information.

It could be a “new hire” asking for login details, a “vendor” trying to confirm banking info, or someone “from HR” looking for employee data.

If the story is convincing enough, most people don’t stop to question it, especially if it sounds like a normal part of the day.

But these aren’t random stabs in the dark as social hackers do their homework. They scan LinkedIn, read company announcements, check team pages, and monitor social media posts.

When companies post about office relocations, new hires, or internal promotions, hackers take note. All of this helps them build convincing stories.

For example, if a company just welcomed a new operations director, a hacker might impersonate that person and email the finance team asking for a “quick favour.”

Or if someone posts about joining a company, hackers might guess the email format and target them as the most vulnerable point of entry.

What these attacks look like in real life

It’s not all just phishing emails and dodgy links, though those are definitely part of it. Some common tactics include:

• Fake IT emails asking employees to verify credentials or reset passwords urgently.
• LinkedIn messages from fake colleagues or recruiters trying to start casual conversations, often with a follow-up request.
• Phone calls or texts pretending to be internal staff, contractors, or assistants needing “urgent help” with files or payments.

In one real-world case, a fake consultant was given access to project files after reaching out to multiple team members.

No one questioned it at the time, but months later, the company discovered data had been exfiltrated quietly over time, and the person didn’t exist in any official system.

In another example, a simple email asking, “Can you take a quick look at this doc?” resulted in a link click, which led to malware being installed. Once in, they had a month of access before anyone noticed.

The tech didn’t fail, people just didn’t realise they were being manipulated.

How you can prevent social hacking

The good news is that you don’t need to overhaul your entire infrastructure to fight social hackers. You just need to get a few good habits in place!

Here are some practical steps to protect your team;

Always verify unknown requests

If something feels off, even just a little, double-check. Not through the email thread or message itself, but through a known and trusted method (like calling the person directly).

Set up email protections

Use tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to reduce the risk of spoofed emails.

Make escalation normal

If someone isn’t sure about a request, they should know exactly where to go and feel safe raising the flag.

Build a strong culture

Encourage a pause and question mindset. Weird requests should never be acted on without a second look.

Run simulated phishing tests regularly

Not to catch people out and make them feel bad about it, but to teach and debrief as a team.

Hold communication audits every quarter

This is to review who has access to what and whether that access still makes sense.

Cyber security training sessions for your team

It’s always worth getting professional training for your team, especially when it comes to spotting and stopping social engineering attacks.

At the West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre, we offer Security Awareness Training that’s clear, practical, and tailored to real workplace scenarios.

It helps staff recognise common tactics like phishing, impersonation, and suspicious requests, giving them the confidence to act quickly and safely. Whether it’s part of onboarding or a regular refresh, this kind of training builds everyday awareness into your company culture.

Need some support with your organisation’s cyber security? Contact us today to find out how we can help.