Social engineering is a term used to describe the manipulation of people into performing certain actions or divulging confidential information. It is a form of cyber attack that relies on psychological manipulation rather than technical hacking skills. Social engineering attacks are becoming increasingly common as criminals seek to exploit human weaknesses in order to gain access to sensitive data and systems.

The goal of social engineering is to manipulate people into providing confidential information or taking specific actions, such as clicking on malicious links or downloading malware. Attackers use various techniques to achieve their goals, including phishing emails, pretexting, baiting, and tailgating. All of these techniques rely on exploiting human psychology in order to gain access to sensitive data or systems.

Phishing emails are one of the most common forms of social engineering attacks. These emails appear to come from legitimate sources and often contain malicious links or attachments. They may also ask for personal information such as passwords or credit card numbers. Pretexting involves creating a false identity in order to gain access to confidential information. Attackers may also use baiting tactics, where they leave USB drives with malicious software in public places and wait for someone to pick them up and plug them into their computer. Tailgating is another technique which involves following an authorized user through a secure door without permission.

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 password policies. Employees should be trained to recognize suspicious emails and asked not to provide any confidential information unless it is absolutely necessary. Organizations should also have procedures in place for responding to social engineering attacks if they occur.

In conclusion, social engineering is a form of cyber attack that relies on psychological manipulation rather than technical hacking skills. It can be used by attackers to gain access to sensitive data or systems by manipulating people into taking certain actions or divulging confidential information. Organizations must take steps to protect themselves from social engineering attacks by educating their employees and implementing security measures such as two-factor authentication and strong password policies.