Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter 15/08/2025 8:36 pm
Social engineering is a form of manipulation that exploits human psychology to gain access to confidential information, systems, or physical locations—without hacking any software or hardware directly.
🧠 What Is Social Engineering?
- It’s the art of tricking people into giving up sensitive data like passwords, financial info, or access credentials.
- Instead of exploiting technical vulnerabilities, it targets human behavior—curiosity, trust, fear, urgency, or helpfulness.
As IBM puts it, it’s essentially “human hacking“.
🎭 Common Social Engineering Techniques
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Phishing | Fake emails or websites that trick users into revealing credentials. |
| Pretexting | Creating a false identity or scenario to gain trust and extract information. |
| Baiting | Offering something enticing (like free software) that contains malware. |
| Tailgating | Physically following someone into a secure area without authorization. |
| Vishing/Smishing | Voice or SMS-based phishing attacks. |
📌 Real-World Examples
- A scammer poses as IT support and asks an employee to “verify” their login credentials.
- Someone drops infected USB drives in a company parking lot, hoping employees plug them in.
- A fake social media profile builds rapport with a target and eventually asks for sensitive info.
🚨 Why It’s Dangerous
- It bypasses even the most advanced firewalls and antivirus systems.
- It’s often the first step in a larger cyberattack, like ransomware or data breaches.
- According to IBM, social engineering is one of the most costly and common causes of security breaches.
