What is Social Engineering? #
Social engineering tricks visitors into dangerous actions like:
- Revealing personal info (passwords, phone numbers, credit cards)
- Downloading unwanted or harmful software
- Calling fake tech support numbers
It usually masquerades as a trusted entity — like a bank, government site, browser alert, or popular service.
Types of Social Engineering Attacks #
| Type | What it Does | Example |
| Phishing | Tricks users to share sensitive info | Fake Google login page |
| Deceptive Content | Tricks users into unsafe actions or downloads | Fake “Update your browser” popup |
| Insufficiently labeled 3rd party services | Hidden 3rd-party tools acting on your site, without clear branding | Charity using a 3rd-party donation site without disclosure |
How Google Detects & Protects Users #
- Chrome shows a “Deceptive site ahead” warning for flagged sites
- Google Safe Browsing warns users before they visit dangerous pages
- Embedded deceptive ads or pop-ups on otherwise safe sites can get those sites flagged too
Common Examples of Social Engineering #
- Fake update pop-ups urging you to install software
- Fake login pages mimicking real services (check the URL carefully!)
- Ads disguised as page buttons or media players, leading to malware installs
What If You Don’t Do Social Engineering — But Got Flagged? #
Sometimes:
- Hackers inject deceptive content or create fake pages on your site
- 3rd-party ads or widgets show deceptive content you didn’t know about
Check your site NOW:
- Open Google Search Console → Security Issues report
- Look for flagged URLs or deceptive content warnings
- Inspect your site pages and ads (refresh several times; mobile and desktop views may differ)
- Remove or block any deceptive content or ads
- Check all third-party resources for compliance and clear branding
How to Fix & Prevent Social Engineering Issues #
- Remove all deceptive content from your site
- Clearly disclose any 3rd-party services and their role on your site
- Use trusted third-party services that follow industry standards (e.g., OAuth for authentication)
- Request a security review via Search Console after cleanup — it can take several days
Best Practices for Third-Party Services #
- Display clear branding for all 3rd-party services on every relevant page
- Explicitly state the relationship between your site (first party) and the 3rd party
- Provide links for users to learn more about the 3rd party
- Make sure users always know which site they are on, even when 3rd-party content is involved
FSIDM Quick Tip: #
Always keep an eye on embedded ads and third-party scripts! Even if your site is clean, these can be a backdoor for social engineering content.