What is the purpose of social engineering?

The purpose of social engineering is to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information. This deceptive practice often involves exploiting human psychology rather than relying on technical hacking methods. Social engineers may use tactics such as impersonation, phishing emails, or psychological tricks to gain trust and persuade individuals to provide sensitive data, such as passwords or personal identification information. Understanding this concept is crucial for recognizing potential threats and protecting oneself against various forms of cyberattacks that target individuals rather than systems.

Strengthening company policies and procedures, enhancing technical education for IT staff, or creating stronger passwords, while important in a security context, do not directly define the tactic of social engineering itself, which is centered around interpersonal manipulation and deception.