The Art of Pretext: Building better backstories for social engineering - Part 3

Learn how to create research-backed, believable pretexts for social engineering ops.

Jun 15, 2025

A strong pretext doesn’t just spring from imagination — it’s built on data, observation, and thoughtful design. Now that we’ve explored what makes pretexts fail and what makes them strong, let’s look at how to actually create them, how to add layers of believability, and how to handle situations when things don’t go according to plan.

Research-driven pretext creation

Every great pretext begins with research. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) provides the raw materials that helps construct a role that fits neatly into the target’s world. By studying a company’s digital footprint, you can identify common vendors they use, jargon specific to their industry, and the names of internal systems or tools. For example, browsing LinkedIn profiles of employees might reveal that the company uses ServiceNow for IT tickets, or that they recently switched their security vendor. This detail can help you pose as a technician following up on a migration or patching task that aligns with their reality.

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Matching your pretext to the organization’s culture is equally critical. A startup tech company with casual open-office culture will expect very different behavior than a formal, process-driven hospital. Walking into a hospital pretending to be “just swinging by for a quick check on the Wi-Fi” would sound suspiciously informal. But at a startup, that relaxed tone might help you blend right in. The goal is to observe, listen, and design your pretext so it doesn’t stand out.

Useful sources for this kind of intelligence include LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Glassdoor reviews, public contracts or vendor lists, company newsletters, and even photos shared by employees on social media. These can reveal everything from what the badge design looks like to which cafeteria the team frequents — small details that can help make your story stick.

Red team examples

Let’s look at a few anonymized examples where pretexts either succeeded or failed — and why.

In one case, a red teamer successfully entered a corporate office by posing as a printer technician. The pretext worked because it was supported by OSINT: the team learned from employee LinkedIn profiles that the company used a specific printer vendor and referenced that vendor by name at reception. The red teamer also carried a genuine work order printout and a small toolkit, reinforcing the illusion. Their calm, confident demeanor matched someone who does this task regularly, and no one batted an eye.

Contrast this with a failed attempt: a red teamer tried to impersonate an IT auditor at a financial firm without doing enough homework. When challenged by security at the desk, they couldn’t name the supposed audit manager who had “sent them,” nor could they produce any documentation. The company had a strict visitor escort policy that the team hadn’t anticipated. The result? The pretext fell apart under light questioning, and the operator was escorted out.

These examples highlight how success often hinges on preparation, attention to detail, and how well your pretext aligns with the target’s expectations and procedures.

Psychological tricks to add believability

Even the best pretext can benefit from subtle psychological tactics. Confidence is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. People are far more likely to believe a confident, relaxed individual who behaves as if they belong. Combine this with urgency — a subtle suggestion that delaying you will cause trouble or inconvenience for someone else — and you’ll find many people become eager to help rather than hinder.

Familiarity bias is another potent lever. Dropping internal lingo, like referencing a known internal system (“I’m just here to finish the Intune device compliance check — should only take five minutes”), or mentioning a department or manager’s name, can smooth your way past doubt. These small signals tell people, subconsciously, that you’re part of the in-group.

Your appearance and mannerisms should also match the role. A maintenance worker might move with purpose, carrying tools and looking slightly rushed. A junior employee might appear deferential, soft-spoken. Even tone of voice matters — adopting a casual but professional tone can help disarm suspicion, while being overly formal or robotic can make you seem out of place.

OPSEC and ethical considerations

With great pretexting comes great responsibility. Even in simulated operations, ethics and operational security must guide your choices. Avoid impersonating real employees or government agencies — this can create legal complications or erode trust unnecessarily. Similarly, stay away from pretexts that involve emotional manipulation beyond acceptable boundaries, like faking a medical emergency or using scenarios that could cause real distress.

A good pretext strikes the right balance between realism and safety. Your job is to test the security controls, not to exploit human decency in ways that cause lasting harm. Always work within the agreed-upon rules of engagement, and when in doubt, err on the side of caution. The best social engineering ops are those that reveal weaknesses without crossing ethical lines.

Crafting, supporting, and executing a pretext is an art that blends research, psychology, and improvisation. Done right, it can be one of the most powerful tools in a red teamer’s kit — and one that leaves a lasting lesson for the client.

TL;DR
- Strong pretexts start with thorough research using OSINT to align with the target’s reality.
- Red team success stories often rely on attention to detail, while failures stem from poor prep and weak cover.
- Psychological tactics like confidence, urgency, and familiarity help reinforce believability.
- Ethical considerations should guide pretext choices, avoiding harm and staying within rules of engagement.