Social engineering

Today, most computer attacks are the result of human error. Insecure passwords, misconfiguration of certain applications or services, lack of basic cybersecurity or social engineering are just some of the methods used by attackers. Behind this term lies a range of techniques, all with the same goal: to obtain information that can then be used by a cyber attacker to harm you or your organisation.

Social engineering attacks are probably among the most complex and sophisticated in human terms. In fact, they require a great deal of preparation to adapt to their targets. This preparation includes gathering information that will be used during the manipulation phase to obtain key information. This information is then used to cause malicious damage to the target.

Spear phishing or “president fraud”, two types of attack that are regularly in the news, rely on a high level of social engineering. That’s why it’s so important to be careful about the information you give out publicly, to keep your work life separate from your personal life, and to protect any confidential data you may have in your possession.