Recent cyberattacks on major UK retailers have prompted the UK’s cybersecurity agency to warn organizations to be on high alert for criminals impersonating IT help desks. It’s believed that social engineering tactics may have been used in some of these incidents, with attackers posing as IT support staff to trick employees into revealing passwords and authentication codes.
If confirmed, such breaches underline a growing trend: social engineering is rapidly becoming one of the most effective ways for cybercriminals to gain access to corporate networks. This is also reflected in CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report, which showed a 442% surge in vishing, social engineering tactics aimed at stealing credentials, in the second half of 2024.
This escalating threat comes at a time when many organizations are also grappling with a shrinking pool of skilled network engineers. Experienced professionals are retiring or moving on, leaving fewer people to manage complex systems and spot subtle signs of an attack. This talent shortage is critical because social engineering targets human weaknesses far more than technical flaws. Less experienced teams may miss sophisticated pretexting or unusual help desk requests that should raise red flags.
Without strong human oversight, attackers can exploit simple password reset processes to gain entry. Once inside, they can move laterally, deploy ransomware, or disrupt critical services long before an alert is raised. The impact is likely to be severe. Beyond costly recovery bills running into millions, businesses risk damage to their reputation, regulatory penalties, and downtime that erodes customer trust. Even the best security technology fails if a clever phone call or email bypasses protocol.
A practical approach to resilience
To tackle both rising social engineering and fewer skilled engineers, businesses need security solutions that reduce reliance on manual effort. One powerful approach is to establish a separate, secure channel for network management. By isolating the management plane from the primary network with a Smart Out-of-Band (OOB) network layer, teams get an independent backup path that stays operational even when the main network is compromised. This secondary channel lets engineers verify user identities with code words or digital certificates, blocking attempts to trick help desk staff during password resets.
It also enables faster containment when suspicious activity appears. Instead of scrambling to adjust firewall rules over the attacked network, engineers can switch to the OOB link, isolate affected devices, and fix configurations; without exposing the core network.
For understaffed teams, these capabilities automate many time-consuming manual steps, thereby easing pressure and speeding up response. Automation plays a vital role too. By linking alerts to threat intelligence feeds, systems can flag risky logins – like an admin account accessing from an unusual location – and automatically enforce lockdowns.
These might include disabling network ports temporarily or remotely power cycling compromised devices. This means even one engineer handling multiple incidents has a reliable first line of defence, buying time to investigate without letting threats spread.
Built for modern operations
Secure remote management also supports today’s flexible working styles. As hybrid and remote work has become the norm, engineers expect to troubleshoot from anywhere.
Without a hardened, secure, remote out-of-band connection, they waste time reconnecting through VPNs – or risk exposing sensitive interfaces to the Internet. By contrast, a dedicated network management channel lets them deploy patches, back up configurations or perform emergency shutdowns confidently – no matter where they are.
This efficiency strengthens defences against social engineering and boosts overall resilience. Automation frees engineers from routine firefighting so they can focus on improving security architecture, training, and incident response.
Integrating secure management with wider security tools enhances protection further. Linking Smart Out-of-Band platforms to SIEM systems connects console-level alerts with network-wide telemetry, delivering a clear, unified view of threats. This comprehensive approach means no suspicious activity goes unnoticed, even on rarely accessed ports.
Closing the gap
Combining OOB management with automation creates a strong cycle of resilience. Engineers get secure processes that block social engineering, while automated defences cover talent shortages. So when phishing campaigns or unexpected credential reset requests come, businesses stay in control – isolating incidents quickly and recovering without overwhelming their teams.
Social engineering attacks will only become more inventive, and the engineering workforce won’t replenish overnight. Investing in secure, automated network management channels gives organizations a force multiplier – protecting against human-targeted breaches and enabling fewer engineers to do more.
The author
Alan Stewart-Brown, VP EMEA, Opengear
