Social engineering: definition and operation

Social engineering is a manipulation technique that exploits human error to gain private information, access, or valuables. In cybercrime, these “human hacking” scams tend to trick unsuspecting users into exposing data, spreading malware infections, or gaining access to restricted systems. Attacks can take place online, in person, or through other interactions.

Social engineering scams rely on how people think and act. As such, social engineering attacks are particularly useful for manipulating a user's behavior. When a hacker understands what is driving a user's actions, they can deceive and manipulate them effectively.

Also, hackers attempt to exploit a user's lack of knowledge. Thanks to the speed of technology, many consumers and employees are unaware of certain threats such as computer downloads . Users may also not realize the full value of personal data, such as their phone number. As a result, many users don't know how to best protect themselves and their information.

In general, social engineering attackers have one of two goals:

This definition of social engineering can be deepened if one knows exactly how it works.

How does social engineering work?

Most social engineering attacks rely on actual communication between attackers and victims . The attacker tends to trick the user into compromising themselves, rather than using brute force methods to gain access to your data.

The attack cycle gives these criminals a reliable process to deceive you. The stages of the social engineering attack cycle are generally as follows:

This process can take place in a single email or over several months in a series of social media conversations. It can even be a face-to-face interaction. But it ultimately ends with an action you take, such as sharing your information or exposing yourself to malware.

It is important to be wary of social engineering as a means of confusion. Many employees and consumers don't realize that just a few bits of information can give hackers access to multiple networks and accounts.

By posing as legitimate users to IT support staff, they steal your private data — like your name , date of birth , or address . From there, it's easy for them to reset passwords and gain nearly unlimited access. They can steal money, spread social engineering malware, and more.