Social Engineering: Manipulating People to Break Security
Not all cyber attacks target systems—many target people. Social engineering is a psychological attack where cybercriminals manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information or performing unsafe actions. What is Social Engineering? Social engineering is a cyber attack technique that tricks people into giving away confidential information, access, or money by exploiting human trust and behavior. Instead of hacking systems directly, attackers manipulate users. Why Social Engineering is Dangerous Targets human weaknesses Can bypass technical security controls Leads to data breaches and fraud Difficult to detect initially Common Types of Social Engineering Phishing: Fake emails or messages Pretexting: Creating fake scenarios to gain trust Baiting: Offering something tempting (USB, downloads) Tailgating: Gaining physical access by following authorized users Warning Signs Urgent requests Requests for passwords or OTPs Unknown links or attachments Too-good-to-be-true offers How t...