Tactic or Technique: Social engineering

Social engineering targets people instead of systems. Attackers use persuasion, pressure, or emotional cues to get you to act quickly and bypass security tools without realizing it.
Messages often create urgency, mimic authority figures, or feel familiar enough to lower your guard. An attacker might pose as your manager asking for a quick favor, reference a recent company event, or claim your account is about to be locked. These tricks are designed to feel legitimate and get you to respond without verifying the request.
Common approaches include pretexting, where attackers invent a believable scenario; baiting, where they offer something enticing; or quid pro quo, where they offer help in exchange for access. Even a single successful interaction can lead to broader compromise, including data theft, ransomware, or a full network breach.
Blog Posts
Credential phishing Charles Schwab account holders with 2FA bypass · Blog · Sublime Security
Credential phishing Charles Schwab account holders with 2FA bypass · Blog · Sublime Security
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Callback phishing via invoice abuse and distribution list relays · Blog · Sublime Security
Callback phishing via invoice abuse and distribution list relays · Blog · Sublime Security
Talking phish over turkey · Blog · Sublime Security
Talking phish over turkey · Blog · Sublime Security
Hidden credential phishing within EML attachments · Blog · Sublime Security
Hidden credential phishing within EML attachments · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Credential Phishing via Docusign abuse · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Credential Phishing via Docusign abuse · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Callback Phishing via Docusign comment · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Callback Phishing via Docusign comment · Blog · Sublime Security
Adversarial ML: Extortion via LLM Manipulation Tactics · Blog · Sublime Security
Adversarial ML: Extortion via LLM Manipulation Tactics · Blog · Sublime Security
Fake invoice used to conduct $16,800 BEC attempt · Blog · Sublime Security
Fake invoice used to conduct $16,800 BEC attempt · Blog · Sublime Security
Gotta Catch 'Em All: Detecting PikaBot Delivery Techniques · Blog · Sublime Security
Gotta Catch 'Em All: Detecting PikaBot Delivery Techniques · Blog · Sublime Security
Attack Types (6):
Credential Phishing
BEC/Fraud
Extortion
Callback Phishing
Spam
Malware/Ransomware
Detection Methods (20):
HTML analysis
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
URL analysis
Sender analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
QR code analysis
Exif analysis
Whois
Archive analysis
Macro analysis
URL screenshot
YARA
Javascript analysis
OLE analysis
XML analysis
Threat intelligence
Rule Name & Severity
Last Updated
Author
Types, Tactics & Capabilities
Brand impersonation: File sharing notification with template artifacts
16m ago
Jan 23rd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Evasion
HTML analysis
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-file-sharing-notification-with-template-artifacts-37d89611
Link: Personal SharePoint with invalid recipients and credential theft language
16m ago
Jan 23rd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/link-personal-sharepoint-with-invalid-recipients-and-credential-theft-language-79d5403d
Service abuse: Adobe legitimate domain with document approval language
15h ago
Jan 23rd, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/service-abuse-adobe-legitimate-domain-with-document-approval-language-237f4da4
Extortion / sextortion (untrusted sender)
20h ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Extortion
Social engineering
Spoofing
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/extortion-sextortion-untrusted-sender-265913eb
Link: Suspicious URL with recipient targeting and special characters
21h ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
URL analysis
Content analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/link-suspicious-url-with-recipient-targeting-and-special-characters-e808be3a
BEC/Fraud: Romance scam
23h ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Free email provider
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/becfraud-romance-scam-0243cdaa
Fake voicemail notification (untrusted sender)
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/fake-voicemail-notification-untrusted-sender-74ba7787
Service abuse: Microsoft Power BI callback scam
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/service-abuse-microsoft-power-bi-callback-scam-7a55388e
Brand impersonation: Dropbox
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-dropbox-61f11d12
Callback phishing via calendar invite
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
File analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/callback-phishing-via-calendar-invite-95c84360
Callback phishing in body or attachment (untrusted sender)
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/callback-phishing-in-body-or-attachment-untrusted-sender-b93c6f94
Brand impersonation: AuthentiSign
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
BEC/Fraud
Impersonation: Brand
Lookalike domain
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-authentisign-445a8c8b
Attachment: PDF with recipient email in link
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
PDF
QR code
Encryption
Social engineering
File analysis
QR code analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/attachment-pdf-with-recipient-email-in-link-0399d08f
Brand impersonation: Blockchain[.]com
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Lookalike domain
Social engineering
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-blockchaincom-0d85e555
Attachment: QR code with recipient targeting and special characters
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
QR code
Social engineering
Evasion
File analysis
QR code analysis
URL analysis
Computer Vision
/feeds/core/detection-rules/attachment-qr-code-with-recipient-targeting-and-special-characters-fc9e1c09
Attachment: Invoice and W-9 PDFs with suspicious creators
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
PDF
Social engineering
Impersonation: Brand
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Exif analysis
Content analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/attachment-invoice-and-w-9-pdfs-with-suspicious-creators-305d6e32
Link: Self-sent message with quarterly document review request
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/link-self-sent-message-with-quarterly-document-review-request-3c42cec6
Job scam with specific salary pattern
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/job-scam-with-specific-salary-pattern-af7f9e21
Brand impersonation: Fake Fax
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Image as content
Free file host
Free subdomain host
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-fake-fax-2a96b90a
Brand impersonation: USPS
3d ago
Jan 20th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Image as content
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-usps-28b9130a
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