What does "social engineering" aim to do?

Social engineering aims to exploit human psychology to gain confidential information. This tactic relies on manipulating individuals into divulging sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identity information, often by creating a sense of urgency or trust. Unlike technical hacking methods that target systems or networks directly, social engineering focuses on the human element, recognizing that people often have vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

Understanding this aspect of security is crucial because it highlights the importance of training individuals within an organization to recognize and resist such threats. Awareness programs can help employees identify suspicious communication and ultimately safeguard sensitive information against social engineering attacks.