What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is a psychological manipulation technique used by cybercriminals to trick individuals into revealing confidential information, granting unauthorized access, or performing certain actions. Unlike traditional cyberattacks that rely on hacking into systems or exploiting software vulnerabilities, social engineering exploits human nature and trust to achieve its objectives.

Attackers often use deception, urgency, fear, or curiosity to manipulate their targets. This can take many forms, such as a fake email from a trusted organization, a phone call pretending to be from IT support, or even an in-person interaction where a fraudster poses as an authority figure.

Social engineering is one of the most dangerous cybersecurity threats because it bypasses traditional security measures such as firewalls and antivirus software. Since the attack relies on human decisions rather than technical vulnerabilities, organizations and individuals must rely on awareness and education to prevent falling victim.