What does social engineering refer to?

Social engineering refers to the psychological manipulation of individuals to perform actions or disclose confidential information. It exploits human emotions such as fear, trust, or curiosity, rather than directly attacking the system or organization. This tactic thrives on leveraging the innate tendencies of people to help or respond to requests, often leading to the unintentional sharing of sensitive information or access credentials.

Understanding social engineering is crucial in cybersecurity training because it emphasizes the importance of vigilance and skepticism in interactions, particularly unsolicited communications that request personal or organizational data. It highlights that even the most secure systems can be compromised if individuals are not aware of the tactics employed by malicious actors aiming to deceive them.