Social Engineering in 2025: The OSINT-Powered Attack Chain
By 2025, social engineering isn’t just about tricking users with phishing emails. It’s a full-spectrum attack strategy that begins long before the first message is ever sent. LinkedIn has become a goldmine for attackers, offering everything they need: your name, job title, team info, certifications, tools you use, and often your company’s internal structure.
This article walks through how modern attackers conduct recon on LinkedIn targets using OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) tools and techniques. We’ll cover:
- Modern reconnaissance using OSINT tools like Maltego
- Infrastructure tactics: email spoofing, domain squatting, lookalike websites
- How these tactics power scam campaigns against developers and engineers
- What DevOps and security teams should do to reduce exposure
Why LinkedIn Is Ground Zero for Recon
LinkedIn is the new front line for attacker reconnaissance. Here’s what makes it so attractive:
- Real names tied to real companies
- Public org charts via job titles and teams
- Mentions of specific products and tech stacks
- Certifications that hint at internal systems
💥 If you publicly post that you’re working on Azure AD integrations with SSO at Acme Corp, congratulations—you just wrote an attack blueprint.
OSINT Tools in Play: Maltego, Recon-ng, SpiderFoot
Modern attackers don’t just browse your profile—they automate recon. Here are a few tools commonly used:
Maltego
A visual link analysis tool that pulls in data from:
- LinkedIn profiles
- Company domains
- Email addresses
- Whois records
- DNS infrastructure
Attackers can generate social graphs showing who you work with, who your CISO reports to, and even third-party contractors.
Recon-ng
A modular web recon framework for scraping data:
- LinkedIn employee lists via search engine dorks
- Emails using pattern generation + breach data
- Linked domains and infrastructure
🔗 https://github.com/lanmaster53/recon-ng
SpiderFoot
An automated OSINT tool that links together:
- IPs
- Domains
- Emails
- Leak data
- Social media profiles
Helps attackers correlate your identity across platforms.
Domain Squatting: Building a Trap
Once attackers have their targets, the next phase is building infrastructure to support the scam. One of the most common tactics? Domain squatting.
They’ll register:
-
Lookalike domains:
micr0softsupport.com,acme-secure.net -
Typo domains:
linkedn.com,g00glemail.com - Subdomains on dynamic DNS services
Then, they’ll clone login pages, job applications, or internal dashboards and send links to victims.
Real-World Example
A malicious actor targeting healthcare recruiters might create:
-
recruit-acme-careers.com - Clone Acme’s job portal
- Embed credential-harvesting forms
- Use LinkedIn DMs or spoofed emails to share fake job postings
Now imagine that’s paired with a fake profile of an Acme HR Manager, complete with AI-generated headshot and a job description copied from a real employee. This is Social Engineering 2.0.
Email Spoofing and Phishing
Even with DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records in place, attackers can still spoof email headers or create very convincing lookalike domains.
They’ll use:
- Free SMTP relays or misconfigured mail servers
- Lookalike domains with similar SPF/DKIM
- Real names and signatures scraped from LinkedIn
Example Email:
From: Sarah.Jenkins@hr-acme.net
To: you@example.com
Subject: Upcoming Interview for DevOps Role at Acme Corp
Hi [Your Name],
Thanks for applying! Please complete this short onboarding form before your call:
[http://acme-careers-secure.com/onboarding]
— Sarah Jenkins
HR Coordinator
Acme Corp
Looks believable, right? That’s the point.
Infrastructure Behind the Scam
These aren’t lone hackers in basements—they’re organized groups running scam infrastructure at scale.
- Bulletproof hosting in countries with weak enforcement
- Dynamic DNS and subdomain abuse (e.g., DuckDNS, No-IP)
- SSL certs via Let’s Encrypt for legitimacy
- JavaScript keyloggers on cloned login pages
- Telegram/Discord alerts for submitted creds
What DevOps and Security Teams Can Do
Even though social engineering hits individuals, there’s plenty DevOps and SecOps teams can do:
1. Monitor Domain Variants
Use tools like DNSTwist to detect and alert on typosquatting domains.
2. Harden Email Infrastructure
- Enforce DMARC reject policies
- Enable MTA-STS to prevent downgrade attacks
- Validate SPF + DKIM records properly
3. Run OSINT on Yourself
Audit your digital footprint:
- Are you in breach data?
- Who’s posting sensitive info?
- Are you leaking metadata in resumes/screenshots?
Script it with SpiderFoot or use platforms like Recorded Future.
4. Train Developers and Staff
Generic phishing training isn’t enough. Focus on industry-specific simulations:
- Fake job offers
- Spoofed client collaboration
- Impersonated recruiters on LinkedIn
Use scenarios that reflect actual attacks, not just outdated „Nigerian prince“ stories.
What Individuals Should Do to Protect Themselves
If you’re on LinkedIn or job hunting, you are a target.
1. Lock Down Your LinkedIn Profile
- Hide your email and phone
- Avoid posting tech stacks/internal system names
- Be selective with connection requests
2. Use a Separate Job-Hunting Email
Create a dedicated email just for applications. If a job offer comes to your main inbox—it’s a red flag.
3. Verify Domains and Contacts
- Cross-check email domains with official company websites
- Reach out via alternate channels
- Use sandboxes like any.run to open shady links safely
4. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Even if attackers get your creds, MFA is your backup armor.
Conclusion: OSINT Is a Double-Edged Sword
The same tools used by red teams and researchers are now being used by scammers and threat actors. In 2025, social engineering is targeted, scalable, and dangerously effective when combined with LinkedIn and OSINT tools.
Whether you’re a junior developer, DevOps lead, or job seeker—you are a target.
Further Reading and Tools
- 🔍 Maltego OSINT Tool: https://www.maltego.com
- 🌐 DNSTwist Domain Monitor: https://github.com/elceef/dnstwist
- 🕷️ SpiderFoot Recon Tool: https://www.spiderfoot.net
- 🛡️ LinkedIn Privacy Settings: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/66
- ✉️ Email Security Best Practices: https://dmarcian.com