Social engineering is a category of network threats that exploits human and manipulation to gain unauthorized access to or systems. These attacks rely on deceiving individuals or groups of people to reveal sensitive information, perform certain actions, or compromise security measures. Some common social engineering network threats include and .
Phishing attacks involve attackers sending deceptive emails, messages, or websites that appear legitimate but are designed to trick recipients into revealing confidential information like credentials or financial details. A targeted form of phishing, known as , customizes messages for specific individuals or organizations, often using gathered personal information for added power. Vishing, or voice phishing, involves phone calls where attackers trick individuals into revealing sensitive information over the .
Defense against social engineering attacks relies on several key strategies. User training is essential to educate users about various social engineering tactics and how to recognize and respond to suspicious . Implementing advanced email filtering and spam detection can significantly reduce attempts, while enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security. Furthermore, strict access controls help limit access to sensitive information to only authorized .
