Ethical Hacking Questions Medium
Social engineering is a technique used by hackers to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that may compromise the security of a system. It involves exploiting human psychology, trust, and social interactions rather than technical vulnerabilities.
In ethical hacking, social engineering is used as a means to assess the security posture of an organization. Ethical hackers, also known as penetration testers, use social engineering techniques to identify potential weaknesses in an organization's security infrastructure. By impersonating employees, clients, or other trusted individuals, ethical hackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or systems.
The goal of using social engineering in ethical hacking is to test the effectiveness of an organization's security controls, policies, and employee awareness. It helps identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors and provides valuable insights into areas that require improvement.
Ethical hackers may employ various social engineering techniques such as phishing, pretexting, baiting, or tailgating. Phishing involves sending deceptive emails or messages to trick individuals into revealing their login credentials or other sensitive information. Pretexting involves creating a false scenario or pretext to manipulate individuals into providing information or access. Baiting involves leaving physical devices, such as infected USB drives, in public places to entice individuals to use them and compromise their systems. Tailgating involves following an authorized person into a restricted area without proper authentication.
By using social engineering techniques, ethical hackers can help organizations identify weaknesses in their security awareness training, policies, and procedures. This allows organizations to implement appropriate measures to mitigate the risks associated with social engineering attacks and enhance their overall security posture.