An Overview of Social Engineering
Social engineering preys on the fact that humans are the weakest link in information security. This article explains the social engineering model, outlines the two categories of social engineering attacks, and discusses techniques for preventing and mitigating social engineering.
3. Social Engineering Attacks
3.3. Pretexting Attacks
Pretexting attacks consist of inventing fake and convincing scenarios in order to steal a victim’s personal information. They are based on pretexts that make the victim believe and trust the attacker. The attack is performed via phone calls, emails, or physical media. Attackers use publishing information on phone books, public web pages, or conferences where collaborators in the same field meet to carry out their attack. The pretext may be an offer to perform a service or to get a job, asking about personal information, helping a friend to get access to something, or winning a lottery.