SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Social Engineering (Cybersecurity)

Social Engineering is a cyberattack technique that manipulates people into revealing confidential information instead of exploiting technical vulnerabilities.

Attackers target human psychology—trust, fear, urgency—rather than systems.

🧠 How Social Engineering Works

Attackers typically follow a process:

1️⃣ Research → Gather info about target

2️⃣ Build Trust → Pretend to be a trusted person

3️⃣ Exploit → Trick victim into sharing data

4️⃣ Exit → Use stolen information

💥 Common Types of Social Engineering Attacks

📧 1. Phishing

Fake emails pretending to be trusted sources.

Example:

“Your bank account is locked—click here to verify.”

📱 2. Spear Phishing

Targeted phishing aimed at specific individuals or companies.

📞 3. Vishing (Voice Phishing)

Attack via phone calls pretending to be IT support or bank staff.

💬 4. Smishing

Phishing through SMS messages.

🎭 5. Pretexting

Creating a fake story to gain trust.

Example:

Pretending to be HR or IT support.

🧲 6. Baiting

Offering something attractive (USB drive, free download) to trick victims.

👀 7. Shoulder Surfing

Stealing information by watching someone’s screen or keyboard.

🚨 Real-World Examples

Fake login pages

Fraudulent emails

Impersonation calls

Malicious links

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