Clear DefinitionsSocial Engineering
1 min read
Pronunciation
[soh-shuhl en-juh-nihr-ing]
Analogy
Think of social engineering like a con artist gaining trust at a party to steal valuables from unsuspecting guests.
Definition
A set of psychological manipulation techniques that attackers use to trick individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
Key Points Intro
Social engineering exploits human behavior and trust to breach security.
Key Points
Pretexting: attacker invents a scenario to persuade the target
Phishing: fraudulent communications imitate trusted sources
Baiting: lures victims with promises of freebies or rewards
Tailgating: following authorized personnel into restricted areas
Example
An attacker calls a company employee posing as IT support, persuades them to reveal their login credentials, and then uses them to access internal systems.
Technical Deep Dive
Social engineers perform reconnaissance—collecting information from public sources and social media—to craft convincing pretexts. They leverage Vishing (voice phishing) and Smishing (SMS phishing) alongside email-based attacks. Automated tools can generate targeted spear-phishing campaigns, while defenders deploy DMARC, spam filters, and user-training programs to mitigate risks.
Security Warning
Even sophisticated technical defenses can be bypassed if individuals are tricked; ongoing security awareness training is essential.
Caveat
Human factors are unpredictable; no technical control fully eliminates social engineering risk.
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