The Power of Social Engineering: Lessons from the Workday Data Breach

Oludare Ogunlana
Aug 23
3 min read

“In every cyberattack, people get compromised before machines”- Dr. Oludare Ogunlana.

Social engineering remains one of the most powerful tools used by cybercriminals. Technology continues to advance, but the weakest link in security is still people. The recent Workday data breach is a reminder that attackers often do not break in—they log in by manipulating trust.

What Is Social Engineering?

Social engineering means using tricks and persuasion to make people reveal information or take unsafe actions. It does not rely on code or hacking tools. Instead, it exploits psychology and human behavior. Attackers may pose as trusted coworkers, vendors, or executives.

According to Proofpoint, social engineering is “the set of tactics used to manipulate, influence, or deceive a victim into divulging sensitive information or performing ill-advised actions.” It is the art of deception with a cyber twist.

Four Types of Social Engineering

The most common types include:

Phishing – Fake emails or messages designed to steal login credentials.
Whaling – Targeted attacks on executives or senior leaders.
Baiting – Tempting victims with free downloads, USB drives, or fake rewards.
Pretexting – Pretending to be someone trustworthy to collect sensitive data.

Each type plays on trust and urgency. Once the victim acts, attackers gain access to valuable systems.

The Five Concepts of Social Engineering

Scholars describe five concepts that define this threat:

Meaning – Understanding what social engineering is.
Concepts – Recognizing its forms and categories.
Techniques – Methods attackers use to trick people.
Security Countermeasures – How to defend against manipulation.
Context – The environment in which attacks occur.

Together, these concepts show that social engineering is not random. It is a structured strategy aimed at human behavior.

Why Social Engineering Matters

The Workday breach highlights the stakes. Attackers bypassed technical controls by targeting employees. They convinced individuals to hand over access. This shows that cybercriminals will always go after the human factor. Strong firewalls and encryption mean little if trust can be exploited.

What OSRS Can Do to Help

At OGUN Security Research and Strategic Consulting LLC (OSRS), we equip organizations to resist these threats:

Through Training & Certification Programs, we teach staff to spot phishing and social manipulation.
Our Strategic Intelligence & Security Research helps leaders understand the evolving tactics of attackers.
With Digital & Cyber Investigations, we uncover breaches and trace social engineering campaigns.
Our Corporate & Financial Investigations safeguard businesses from insider threats and fraud schemes.

We combine intelligence, training, and investigations to close the gap that attackers exploit—human trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four types of social engineering?

Phishing, Whaling, Baiting, and Pretexting.

What best defines social engineering?

It is the use of manipulation and deception to trick people into revealing information or taking unsafe actions.

What are the five concepts of social engineering?

Meaning, Concepts, Techniques, Security Countermeasures, and Context.

What do you mean by social engineering?

It is the act of exploiting human psychology to bypass security systems and gain access to sensitive information.

Conclusion

The Workday breach proves that cybercriminals know the real vulnerability—people. Organizations must protect both systems and staff. Training, awareness, and intelligence are the strongest defenses against manipulation. With OSRS as your partner, you can build resilience and stop social engineering before it succeeds.

About the Author:

Dr. Oludare “Sunday” Ogunlana is a cybersecurity professor and founder of OGUN Security Research and Strategic Consulting LLC (OSRS). He leads in cyber defense, intelligence, and investigations, bridging academia and practice to protect organizations from modern security threats.