What is social enginering

 

Social engineering is the use of psychological manipulation to influence individuals or groups to divulge sensitive information or perform actions that may not be in their best interest. It is a tactic often used by hackers and scammers to gain access to personal and financial information, and can take many forms, including phishing scams, pretexting, and baiting.

One of the most common forms of social engineering is phishing, which involves sending emails or messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or a government agency, in an attempt to trick the recipient into providing personal information or clicking on a link that will install malware on their computer. These scams often use urgent language and a sense of urgency to pressure the recipient into taking action quickly.

Pretexting is another tactic used by social engineers, in which the attacker creates a false identity or scenario in order to gain access to personal information. For example, a attacker may pretend to be a customer service representative from a bank, and ask for a person's account number in order to "verify" their identity.

Baiting is a social engineering tactic that uses the promise of something desirable, such as a prize or a free service, to lure people into providing personal information or clicking on a link.

To protect yourself from social engineering attacks, it is important to be aware of these tactics and to be skeptical of any unsolicited messages or requests for personal information. Always verify the identity of the person or organization making the request, and never click on links or provide personal information without first ensuring that the source is legitimate. It's also important to keep your computer and mobile devices secure with up-to-date anti-virus software, firewalls and anti-malware.

In addition, it's important to be educated about the latest techniques and common tactics that attackers use. This can help you identify and avoid potential social engineering attacks, and keep your personal information and financial assets safe.

In conclusion, social engineering is a technique used by attackers to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that may not be in their best interest. It is important to be aware of these tactics and to take steps to protect yourself, such as being skeptical of unsolicited messages and keeping your computer and mobile devices secure.

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