Social engineering is a type of attack used by malicious actors to gain access to confidential information or resources. It is a form of manipulation that relies on psychological tactics to deceive people into giving up sensitive information or taking an action that will benefit the attacker.
Social engineering attacks can be used to gain access to confidential information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account information. Attackers may also use social engineering to gain access to physical resources such as buildings, computers, and networks.
Social engineering attacks are often successful because they exploit human behavior and rely on people’s trust. Attackers may use a variety of tactics to gain access to information or resources, such as impersonating someone, using false identities, or using deceptive language.
For example, an attacker may send an email pretending to be from a legitimate company and ask the recipient to provide their credit card information. The attacker may also use social engineering tactics to gain access to a building or computer system by pretending to be an employee or contractor.
Social engineering attacks can be difficult to detect because they rely on psychological manipulation rather than technical means. Organizations can protect themselves from social engineering attacks by educating their employees about the risks and implementing security measures such as two-factor authentication and strong passwords.
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