What is Social Engineering?
Social engineering exploits human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities. Common techniques include pretexting, baiting (leaving infected USB drives), tailgating (physical access), and impersonation. Security awareness training is the primary defense, as no technical control fully prevents human manipulation.
Understanding this concept is crucial for maintaining a robust security posture. In the context of modern cyber threats, social engineering represents a significant area of focus for security professionals and organizations alike.
Related Terms
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)
A sophisticated, targeted cyberattack in which an attacker gains unauthorized access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period.
Asset Discovery
The process of identifying all hardware and software devices within an organization's network environment.
