What is Social Engineering?

Social Engineering is a manipulation technique that exploits human psychology to gain unauthorized access to systems, networks, or sensitive information.

Expanded Explanation

Social Engineering is a form of cyberattack that relies on deception rather than technical exploits. Attackers manipulate individuals into breaking normal security procedures, often by creating a sense of urgency, trust, fear, or authority. This can take many forms—including phishing emails, pretexting phone calls, baiting with infected USBs, or impersonation on social media. Social engineering is often the first step in a broader attack chain, allowing hackers to obtain credentials, deploy malware, or move laterally within a system. Because humans are often the weakest link in the security chain, social engineering remains one of the most effective and dangerous techniques used by attackers—and is a critical focus in cybersecurity awareness and ethical hacking training.

Related Terms

Phishing, pretexting, baiting, impersonation, and human hacking

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