Social Engineering Providers

Social engineering testing evaluates the human element of your organisation's security posture by simulating real-world manipulation techniques used by attackers. This includes phishing campaigns (email-based attacks with malicious links or attachments), vishing (voice-based social engineering via phone calls), smishing (SMS-based attacks), pretexting (creating convincing scenarios to extract information), and physical social engineering (tailgating, impersonation, and badge cloning).

Professional social engineering assessments are carefully designed to test employee awareness and response without causing undue distress. Results help organisations understand their vulnerability to human-targeted attacks, which are involved in the majority of successful breaches. Social engineering testing is particularly valuable when combined with security awareness training programmes, providing a measurable baseline and evidence of improvement over time.

Many compliance frameworks including PCI DSS, NIST CSF, and ISO 27001 recommend or require social engineering testing as part of a comprehensive security programme. Testing should be conducted under strict rules of engagement with management approval and ethical guidelines.

19 providers
Best UK ProviderBest for EnterpriseResearch Leaders
NCC Group logo

NCC Group

Global cybersecurity consultancy with CREST, CHECK, and CBEST accreditation, renowned for deep technical research and comprehensive penetration testing services.

75
Score
LOCManchester, United Kingdom
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+13
CRESTCHECKCBEST+6
Nettitude logo

Nettitude

CREST, CHECK, and CBEST accredited UK consultancy within Lloyd's Register, delivering premium penetration testing for government and critical infrastructure.

64
Score
LOCLondon, United Kingdom
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+10
CRESTCHECKCBEST+2
Best for Mid-MarketBest for Financial Services
NetSPI logo

NetSPI

Leading penetration testing firm with the Resolve platform for continuous attack surface management, trusted by nine of the top ten US banks.

60
Score
LOCMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+8
SOC 2ISO 27001CREST
Trustwave logo

Trustwave

Global managed security provider with the elite SpiderLabs penetration testing team and deep PCI DSS compliance expertise.

57
Score
LOCChicago, Illinois, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+7
PCI QSAISO 27001SOC 2+1
Bridewell logo

Bridewell

Fast-growing CREST and CHECK-accredited UK cybersecurity consultancy with deep expertise in critical national infrastructure sectors.

56
Score
LOCBristol, United Kingdom
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+7
CRESTCHECKISO 27001+1
Pentest People logo

Pentest People

CREST and CHECK-accredited UK penetration testing firm with an innovative SecurePortal platform and transparent pricing for mid-market organizations.

55
Score
LOCLeeds, United Kingdom
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+7
CRESTCHECKCyber Essentials Plus+1
Mandiant logo

Mandiant

World-renowned cybersecurity firm now part of Google Cloud, delivering threat intelligence-led penetration testing and red teaming informed by front-line incident response experience.

53
Score
LOCReston, Virginia, United States
Red TeamingPurple TeamingNetwork+6
SOC 2ISO 27001FedRAMP 3PAO
Best OverallElite TestersResearch Pioneers
Bishop Fox logo

Bishop Fox

Premier US-based offensive security firm known for elite penetration testers, cutting-edge research, and the Cosmos continuous attack surface management platform.

50
Score
LOCTempe, Arizona, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+8
SOC 2OSCP Employer
Rapid7 logo

Rapid7

Creators of Metasploit offering enterprise penetration testing integrated with their comprehensive vulnerability management and security operations platform.

50
Score
LOCBoston, Massachusetts, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+7
SOC 2ISO 27001
WithSecure logo

WithSecure

Leading European cybersecurity firm offering penetration testing with deep expertise in EU regulatory compliance including GDPR, NIS 2, and TIBER-EU.

49
Score
LOCHelsinki, Finland
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+7
CRESTISO 27001
Integrity360 logo

Integrity360

CREST-accredited pan-European cybersecurity services provider delivering penetration testing and managed security from Dublin with a strong UK and Ireland presence.

44
Score
LOCDublin, Ireland
Web ApplicationNetworkMobile App+6
CRESTISO 27001SOC 2
Black Hills Information Security logo

Black Hills Information Security

Community-driven penetration testing firm known for free security education, open-source tools, Wild West Hackin' Fest, and practical offensive security services.

44
Score
LOCSpearfish, South Dakota, United States
NetworkWeb ApplicationSocial Engineering+5
SOC 2
CrowdStrike logo

CrowdStrike

Global cybersecurity leader leveraging world-class threat intelligence from the Falcon platform to deliver intelligence-led penetration testing and red teaming.

43
Score
LOCAustin, Texas, United States
Red TeamingNetworkWeb Application+5
SOC 2ISO 27001
Secureworks logo

Secureworks

Dell Technologies-backed cybersecurity firm with elite Counter Threat Unit intelligence informing enterprise penetration testing and adversary simulation.

41
Score
LOCAtlanta, Georgia, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+7
SOC 2ISO 27001
Rhino Security Labs logo

Rhino Security Labs

Cloud security penetration testing specialists known for the Pacu AWS exploitation framework and deep expertise across AWS, Azure, and GCP environments.

41
Score
LOCSeattle, Washington, United States
CloudWeb ApplicationNetwork+4
SOC 2
Praetorian logo

Praetorian

Offensive security firm founded by former DoD professionals, offering elite penetration testing and the Chariot continuous attack surface management platform.

40
Score
LOCAustin, Texas, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+7
SOC 2
Offensive Security logo

Offensive Security

Creators of OSCP, Kali Linux, and Exploit-DB, offering elite penetration testing services from the team that trains the world's ethical hackers.

40
Score
LOCNew York, New York, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkRed Teaming+5
OSCP Employer
Aon Cyber Solutions logo

Aon Cyber Solutions

Cybersecurity consulting division of global insurance leader Aon, uniquely combining penetration testing with cyber risk quantification and insurance expertise.

36
Score
LOCLondon, United Kingdom
Web ApplicationNetworkCloud+5
ISO 27001SOC 2
BreachLock logo

BreachLock

Cloud-based Penetration Testing as a Service platform combining AI-driven automation with expert manual testing at accessible price points.

33
Score
LOCNew York, New York, United States
Web ApplicationNetworkAPI+4
SOC 2ISO 27001

Social Engineering FAQs

Will employees know they are being tested?+

Typically no - the test is more effective when employees are unaware. However, management and HR should be informed, and organisations should have a supportive policy that focuses on education rather than punishment.

What metrics do social engineering tests provide?+

Key metrics include click rates, credential submission rates, reporting rates, and time to report. These help measure security awareness and track improvement over time.

Is social engineering testing ethical?+

Yes, when conducted professionally with management authorisation, clear rules of engagement, and a focus on organisational improvement rather than targeting individuals. Reputable providers follow strict ethical guidelines.