Social Engineering Theory

Social Engineering Theory explains how individuals manipulate others into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security, often by exploiting psychological tendencies such as trust, fear, or curiosity. It targets human vulnerabilities rather than technical defenses, relying on persuasion, deception, or authority to influence behavior. In essence, it's about understanding the ways people can be gently tricked or coerced into making decisions they wouldn’t normally make, often leading to security breaches. Recognizing these tactics helps organizations and individuals better defend against such manipulative strategies.