Concept:
Social engineering is a cyberattack method that relies on psychological manipulation instead of technical hacking. Attackers trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, financial data, or access credentials.
Step 1: {\color{red}What is Social Engineering?}
It involves deceiving users by:
- Impersonating trusted individuals or organizations
- Creating fake scenarios to gain trust
- Manipulating emotions like fear, urgency, or curiosity
Common examples include phishing, pretexting, and baiting.
Step 2: {\color{red}How It Works}
Attackers typically:
- Build trust with the victim
- Create a believable story (pretext)
- Convince the victim to share confidential data
Step 3: {\color{red}Why It is a Non-Technical Threat}
Unlike malware or hacking tools:
- It does not exploit software vulnerabilities
- It targets human weaknesses
- Even highly secure systems can be compromised if users are tricked
Step 4: {\color{red}Impact on Security}
Social engineering can result in:
- Credential theft
- Unauthorized access to systems
- Financial fraud and data breaches
Step 5: {\color{red}Prevention}
The best defense includes:
- User awareness and training
- Verifying identities before sharing information
- Strong authentication methods (e.g., 2FA)