What defines the term "social engineering" in cybersecurity?

The term "social engineering" in cybersecurity refers specifically to human-focused tactics used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, systems, or physical locations. This approach exploits human psychology rather than relying solely on technical vulnerabilities. Social engineering techniques often involve deception, manipulation, and psychological persuasion to trick individuals into divulging confidential information, clicking on malicious links, or performing actions that compromise security.

These tactics can manifest in various forms, such as phishing emails that impersonate trusted entities or pretexting, where an attacker poses as someone who has a legitimate need for information. By targeting the human element of security, social engineering highlights the importance of user awareness and training in protecting against security threats, underscoring that human behavior can be the weakest link in the security chain, regardless of technological defenses in place.