Social Engineering

Social Engineering is a manipulation technique used by attackers to exploit human psychology rather than technical hacking methods. It leverages trust, fear, urgency, or other emotions to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. Penetration testers employ social engineering to identify human vulnerabilities within an organization's security posture. Common tactics include: 1. Phishing: Sending deceptive emails that appear legitimate to harvest credentials or deploy malware. 2. Pretexting: Creating a fabricated scenario to obtain information (e.g., impersonating IT support). 3. Baiting: Offering something enticing to pique curiosity (like infected USB drives). 4. Tailgating: Following authorized personnel into restricted areas. 5. Vishing: Voice phishing via phone calls to extract information. 6. Quid pro quo: Offering a service in exchange for information. During penetration tests, ethical hackers might: - Conduct simulated phishing campaigns - Attempt to gain physical access through social tactics - Test how employees handle suspicious requests - Evaluate compliance with security policies The effectiveness of social engineering stems from exploiting fundamental human tendencies: desire to be helpful, trust in authority, fear of negative consequences, and response to urgency. Defenses include: - Regular security awareness training - Clear security policies and procedures - Multi-factor authentication - Verification protocols for sensitive requests - Creating a culture where questioning unusual requests is encouraged Penetration testers document social engineering vulnerabilities and recommend specific improvements to strengthen an organization's human firewall, often the weakest link in security architecture.

Social Engineering is a manipulation technique used by attackers to exploit human psychology rather than technical hacking methods. It leverages trust, fear, urgency, or other emotions to trick indiv…