SOH-shul en-jin-EER-ing
/ˈsoʊʃəl ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ/
nounC1GMATCAT
technicalpsychological
The use of deception to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes.
Focuses on hacking the human rather than the computer.
The story behind the word. Originally a term in sociology (19th century) referring to the management of social change. In the 1990s, hackers like Kevin Mitnick repurposed it to describe the act of 'engineering' a person's behavior to bypass security controls.
Word relationships
- psychological manipulation: A broader term that doesn't necessarily involve computer security.
Collocations
- social engineering attack
- victim of social engineering
- prevent social engineering
Example sentences
- "Social engineering is often more effective than technical hacking because it exploits human trust." A cybersecurity training manual.
- "I was never a computer hacker; I was a social engineer, using my wits to get people to give me their passwords." A quote from a famous hacker.
Memory hook
Engineering a social interaction to steal a secret. Hacking the human.
When not to use
Don't use it for general marketing or persuasion; it implies a malicious or deceptive intent in a security context.
Fun facts
- One of the most common social engineering tricks is 'tailgating,' where a hacker simply follows an employee through a secure door.
social engineering
The use of deception to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes.
Focuses on hacking the human rather than the computer.
Word relationships
Collocations
Example sentences
Memory hook
Engineering a social interaction to steal a secret. Hacking the human.
When not to use
Don't use it for general marketing or persuasion; it implies a malicious or deceptive intent in a security context.
Fun facts
Related words
phishing, spoofing
Explore more words
phishing, identity theft, fraud, swindle, cybersecurity, doxing