WHAT IS SOCIAL
ENGINEERING?
• Social engineering is the art of manipulating people so they give up
confidential information. The types of information these criminals are
seeking can vary, but when individuals are targeted the criminals are
usually trying to trick you into giving them your passwords or bank
information, or access your computer to secretly install malicious
software–that will give them access to your passwords and bank
information as well as giving them control over your computer.
• Criminals use social engineering tactics because it is usually easier to
exploit your natural inclination to trust than it is to discover ways to
hack your software. For example, it is much easier to fool someone
into giving you their password than it is for you to try hacking their
password (unless the password is really weak).
