LABS GALLERY: SocialPET Lets Businesses Phish Their Own Employees to Test Security Smarts

LABS GALLERY: SocialPET Lets Businesses Phish Their Own Employees to Test Security Smarts
Written By
Jim Rapoza
Jim Rapoza
Published: Sep 21, 2009
Updated: Feb 2, 2021
1 minute read
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by Jim Rapoza


Setup

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To get started with SocialPET, you add the names and e-mails of the users who will receive the test phishing e-mail and create a false e-mail to send the message from.


Templates

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SocialPET includes a number of templates for different security tests, including sending info on a new Web mail interface and information on a required system patch. The templates create basic e-mail text that can be edited.


The Phish

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Once a SocialPET test has been activated, users receive a phishing e-mail directing them to a fraudulent Website.


The Response

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In this test, users are sent to a fake Outlook Web Access page. No matter what log-in is used, the page will fail to load and will return to the log-in page.


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Fake Patch Page

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Other phishing tests include fake patches and fake anti-virus pages. On this page, clicking on the Download and Apply Patch button will do nothing (except notify the admin that the employee has failed the test).


Basic Reports

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Once a phishing test is completed, SocialPET provides basic reports that show how employees fared on the test. The report also displays a graph comparing your company’s score against other companies’.


Report Details

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Additional reports include details about what individual employees did during the phishing test. SocialPET can also generate a PDF report.

Jim Rapoza

Jim Rapoza, Chief Technology Analyst, eWEEK.For nearly fifteen years, Jim Rapoza has evaluated products and technologies in almost every technology category for eWEEK. Mr Rapoza's current technology focus is on all categories of emerging information technology though he continues to focus on core technology areas that include: content management systems, portal applications, Web publishing tools and security. Mr. Rapoza has coordinated several evaluations at enterprise organizations, including USA Today and The Prudential, to measure the capability of products and services under real-world conditions and against real-world criteria. Jim Rapoza's award-winning weekly column, Tech Directions, delves into all areas of technologies and the challenges of managing and deploying technology today.

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