How is social engineering best defined?

Social engineering is best defined as manipulating people to obtain confidential information. This definition encompasses the various tactics and strategies used by individuals to deceive others into revealing sensitive data, such as passwords, personal identification numbers, or security information.

The key element of social engineering lies in its reliance on psychological manipulation rather than technical hacking skills. It exploits human behaviors, trust, and social norms to trick victims into making security mistakes or divulging private information. For example, a social engineer might impersonate a legitimate authority figure, like a bank employee, to coax someone into providing their account details.

This method can take various forms, including phishing emails that seem legitimate, phone calls pretending to be from tech support, or even in-person interactions that build rapport before asking for confidential information. Understanding this concept is crucial in cybersecurity, as it highlights the importance of user awareness and training to recognize and resist these manipulative approaches.

In contrast, the other options relate to technical measures for securing data or accessing systems, which do not encompass the core idea of social engineering.