Pretexting attacks: Risks, consequences, and best practices for secure apps

Overview

Attackers use fabricated stories to manipulate users into revealing sensitive information or taking unauthorized actions. Pretexting often exploits social engineering to bypass technical security measures. Pretexting relies on creating a believable scenario to exploit a user’s trust. To make scenarios more convincing, pretexting often leverages publicly available information (e.g., from social media or data breaches). Attackers impersonate colleagues, customer support representatives, or other trusted figures. They then craft scenarios that pressure users into sharing credentials, transferring money, or providing sensitive data. Users are contacted via various channels, such as phone calls, emails, text messages, or in-person interactions.

Risk factors

Pretext attacks can arise from:

• Lack of verification protocols for sensitive requests.
• Over-trust in perceived authority figures.
• Inadequate user training on identifying social engineering techniques.
• Remote or hybrid work environments, where employees may be less likely to verify identities due to reduced face-to-face interaction.

Consequences

If an attacker successfully a pretexting attack, the following could happen:

• Data theft: Attackers obtain sensitive personal or organizational information.
• Financial loss: Fraudsters may manipulate victims into transferring funds.
• System compromise: Pretexting can facilitate further attacks, such as malware installation.

Solutions and best practices

To mitigate the risks associated with pretexting attacks, organizations should implement the following security measures:

• Authentication protocols: Verify requests through multiple independent channels.
• User education: Train users on the risks and warning signs of pretexting.
• Awareness campaigns: Promote a culture of skepticism for unsolicited or unusual requests.
• Fraud detection tools: Use tools that flag suspicious patterns or requests.