Josh Taylor, Lead Cybersecurity Analyst at Fortra, examines how social engineering tactics are becoming more sophisticated in 2025. He highlights a new class of attacks that exploit trust and familiarity to manipulate users into unknowingly compromising their own security. The article also offers practical advice on recognizing and defending against these subtle, routine-based threats.
Originally published in Help Net Security.
Excerpt: “These aren’t your run-of-the-mill phishing scams. They are a sophisticated evolution of social engineering designed to deceive even the most tech-savvy users. Attackers exploit our routines, trust, and overconfidence to manipulate us into becoming unwitting accomplices in our own compromise.”
