Cybersecurity firm NexGuards has launched a new phishing simulation platform designed to expose employee vulnerabilities by mirroring the reconnaissance techniques used by actual attackers. According to nexguards.com, the service utilizes Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) to gather public data, allowing companies to test how their staff responds to highly personalized social engineering attempts.
Traditional phishing simulations often rely on generic templates that employees can easily identify. The outlet reported that these standard tests fail to account for the sophisticated research hackers conduct before launching a campaign. By scraping information from social media, professional networking sites, and public databases, the NexGuards platform crafts lures that appear significantly more credible to the target.
Replicating the attacker's workflow
The platform automates the discovery process, mapping out an organization’s digital footprint just as a malicious actor would. This allows security teams to identify which departments or individuals are most susceptible to specific types of data leaks or social engineering.
"Real attackers don't use generic templates; they study their targets to build trust," the company noted in its report. By turning these investigative methods into a defensive training tool, NexGuards aims to shift the focus from simple email filtering to behavioral awareness.
NexGuards emphasizes that the data gathered during these simulations remains controlled within the organization. The goal is to show employees exactly how much personal or professional information is available to the public, which often serves as a wake-up call regarding their digital hygiene.
The service comes as corporate security teams struggle to keep pace with attackers who exploit information found in public records. By integrating OSINT into the testing cycle, organizations can better understand the specific risks their employees face when they share information online. The company claims this proactive approach reduces the likelihood of a successful breach by training staff to recognize when they have been targeted based on their unique professional profiles.