Social Engineering

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Instead of using technical hacking methods, attackers exploit human traits like trust, fear, or curiosity to gain unauthorized access to systems or data.

Why It Matters

• It is often the weakest link in a security chain because it targets human behavior rather than software vulnerabilities.

• Attacks can take many forms, including phishing, pretexting, baiting, and tailgating into secure physical locations.

• Strong technical defenses can be completely bypassed if an employee is tricked into handing over their login credentials.