Understanding Social Engineering Attacks

Understanding Social Engineering Attacks

In the digital age, the most sophisticated firewalls, encryption protocols, and security systems can be rendered useless by a simple phone call or cleverly crafted email. Social engineering represents the art of manipulating people to divulge confidential information or perform actions that compromise security. Rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities, these attacks target the most unpredictable element in any security system: the human factor. This chapter explores the fundamentals of social engineering, why it remains devastatingly effective, and how understanding these attacks forms the foundation of defense.