Social engineering is a method of manipulating or deceiving individuals or groups to obtain confidential or sensitive information, access to systems, or to perform actions that may be against their best interests. It involves exploiting human psychology and trust rather than relying on technical vulnerabilities. Social engineers often use psychological manipulation, impersonation, and deception to achieve their goals.

Social engineering attacks can take various forms, including:

Phishing: Sending fraudulent emails or messages that appear to come from a trusted source, such as a bank or a reputable organization, to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information like passwords or financial details.
Pretexting: Creating a fabricated scenario to obtain personal information or access to a system. For example, a pretexting attacker might impersonate a coworker, a client, or a service technician to gain access.
Baiting: Offering something enticing, like free software, in exchange for personal information or access to a system. It often involves luring victims into downloading malware or sharing their login credentials.
Tailgating: Physically following or accompanying an authorized person into a restricted area by pretending to be a legitimate visitor or employee.
Quid Pro Quo: Offering a service or help to a person in exchange for confidential information or access. For example, an attacker might pose as IT support, offering to fix a problem in exchange for login credentials.
Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else, such as a colleague, a manager, or a company executive, to gain trust and access to sensitive information or systems.

Social engineering attacks are often successful because they exploit common human tendencies like trust, authority, curiosity, and the desire to help others. To defend against social engineering, individuals and organizations need to raise awareness, provide security training, and implement policies and safeguards to verify identities and protect against deceptive tactics. Social engineering is a critical component of many cybersecurity threats, and recognizing and mitigating these attacks is essential for overall security.