Cyber Byte: Social Engineering

25.06.25

Social engineering is one of the most common and successful tactics used by attackers to gain access to systems, data, and facilities. 

Cyber criminals don’t always need fancy tech to get what they want. Sometimes all it takes is a well-worded email or convincing video call. This free lunchtime session will lift the lid on social engineering – how attackers trick people into handing over passwords, data, or access to systems.  

We’ll explore how social engineering works, why it’s so effective, and what organisations can do to defend against it. From phishing emails and pretexting to real-world examples of physical and digital deception, we’ll walk through practical strategies to recognise and prevent these attacks. 

Attendees will learn: 

Whether you’re in cyber security, IT, or responsible for training and compliance, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to reduce risk and build stronger human defences. 

Led by Katie O’Neill MSc, Head of Cyber Skills Academy at the Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland

Who will be joined by:
🔹 Rafe Pilling, Director, Threat Intelligence at Secureworks
🔹 Cieran Smith, Cyber Security Engineer at KubeNet