Common Social Engineering Attacks

Question 1

Social Engineering

Answer 1

Social engineering → psychological manipulation technique used to trick people into revealing sensitive information or performing actions by exploiting trust, fear, urgency, or authority rather than technical vulnerabilities.

Question 2

Impersonation

Answer 2

Impersonation → social engineering attack where an attacker pretends to be a trusted individual such as an employee, vendor, executive, or authority figure to gain access or information.

Question 3

Phising

Answer 3

Phishing → message-based social engineering attack using emails that appear legitimate to steal credentials, deliver malware, or redirect victims to fake websites.

Question 4

Vishing

Answer 4

Voice phishing (Vishing) → social engineering attack conducted over phone calls where attackers impersonate trusted organizations to extract sensitive information.

Question 5

Smishing

Answer 5

Short message service phishing (Smishing) → social engineering attack delivered through text messages that use malicious links or urgent language to trick users into taking action.

Question 6

Business Email Compromise

Answer 6

Business email compromise → targeted phishing attack where attackers impersonate executives or vendors to fraudulently request wire transfers, gift cards, or sensitive data.

Question 7

Watering Hole Attack

Answer 7

Watering hole attack → social engineering technique where attackers compromise a website frequently visited by a specific group to infect users with malware or steal credentials.

Question 8

Misinformation/Disinformation Attacks

Answer 8

Misinformation and disinformation attacks → deliberate spread of false or misleading information to manipulate opinions, influence behavior, or undermine trust, commonly seen in political and social campaigns.

Question 9

Brand Impersonation Attacks

Answer 9

Brand impersonation attacks → social engineering attacks that mimic trusted brands using fake emails, websites, or messages to trick users into revealing credentials or financial information.