What does “social engineering” primarily exploit?

Social engineering primarily exploits human psychology and trust. This tactic relies on manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. Rather than targeting technical weaknesses in software or systems, social engineering methods focus on understanding human behavior, leveraging emotions, and exploiting social norms.

For instance, an attacker might present themselves as a trustworthy authority figure to convince someone to share their password or sensitive data. This is effective because people are often inclined to trust others, especially when approached in a persuasive manner. The reliance on psychological manipulation sets social engineering apart from other forms of cyber threats that are more technical in nature.

In contrast, while technical vulnerabilities in software, remote access technologies, and social media data privacy settings are important security considerations, they do not relate to the behavioral aspects that social engineering specifically focuses on. Hence, the core of social engineering lies in its ability to appeal to human nature rather than system flaws.