What is the main focus of social engineering?

The primary focus of social engineering is to manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information. This technique exploits psychological tricks and human vulnerabilities rather than relying on technical hacking skills. Social engineers often create scenarios that lead victims to inadvertently disclose sensitive information, such as passwords or personal identification details. By understanding how people think and behave, attackers can craft compelling narratives or situations that encourage their targets to act against their best interests.

The significance of this approach is underscored by the fact that technology alone cannot address human factors. Security measures might be robust, but if an individual is coerced or deceived into compromising that security, the entire system can become vulnerable. Thus, the understanding of social engineering is crucial for organizations to train employees and build awareness, safeguarding against these manipulative tactics.