Social engineering involves manipulating individuals to disclose confidential information, exploiting psychological factors such as trust and urgency. Common attack methods include phishing, pretexting, and impersonation, leading to significant real-world cybercrime incidents. Prevention strategies emphasize verification, employee education, and multi-factor authentication to mitigate risks associated with these attacks.

1. SOCIAL ENGINEERING
ATTACKS: HOW
HACKERS EXPLOIT
HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY
Understanding Deception in Cybersecurity
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2. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL
ENGINEERING
• Definition: Social engineering is the art of manipulating people
into revealing confidential information.
• Exploiting Human Psychology: Attackers use trust, urgency, and
fear to deceive victims.
• Real-World Impact: Used in cybercrimes like phishing, identity
theft, and financial fraud.
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3. COMMON TYPES OF SOCIAL
ENGINEERING ATTACKS
• Phishing: Fake emails or messages trick users into giving
personal data.
• Pretexting: Attackers create a fake scenario to steal information.
• Baiting & Quid Pro Quo: Offering something tempting (USB drive,
free software) to gain access.
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4. PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION
TECHNIQUES
• Authority & Trust: Attackers impersonate officials (IT support,
police, or executives).
• Fear & Urgency: Fake threats (account suspension, legal action) to
force quick action.
• Curiosity & Greed: Victims are tempted with free rewards, leaked
information, or fake job offers.
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5. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES OF
SOCIAL ENGINEERING
• The Twitter Bitcoin Scam (2020): Hackers used internal access by
tricking employees.
• CEO Fraud (Business Email Compromise): Attackers impersonate
executives to request fund transfers.
• Classic Phone Scams: Fake calls from banks, IRS, or tech support
demanding sensitive details.
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6. PREVENTING SOCIAL
ENGINEERING ATTACKS
• Verify Before Trusting: Always confirm requests from unknown
sources.
• Educate & Train Employees: Awareness programs help identify
attack attempts.
• Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds security even if
passwords are compromised.
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7. CONCLUSION & KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Humans Are the Weakest Link: Attackers exploit emotions and
habits.
• Vigilance is Key: Always question unexpected messages or
requests.
• Cyber Awareness is Essential: Training and strong security
measures reduce risks.
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8. THANK YOU
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Corp
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