Which of the following are examples of social engineering? (Select two.)

What are the examples of social engineering?

The examples of social engineering are Shoulder surfing and Dumpster diving.

Social Engineering Overview

Social engineering refers to the manipulation of individuals to gain unauthorized access to confidential information or systems. It involves exploiting human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities. Social engineers use various methods to deceive individuals into disclosing sensitive information.

Shoulder Surfing

One example of social engineering is shoulder surfing, where an attacker looks over someone's shoulder to obtain sensitive information like passwords or PIN numbers. This technique is commonly used in crowded places such as airports, coffee shops, or ATMs. It is essential to be mindful of your surroundings and shield your information from prying eyes to prevent falling victim to shoulder surfing attacks.

Dumpster Diving

Another example of social engineering is dumpster diving, which involves searching through someone's trash to find discarded documents containing valuable information. For instance, a person may retrieve discarded credit card statements to use the cardholder's information for fraudulent purposes. To protect sensitive information, it is crucial to shred documents before disposing of them and avoid throwing away documents with personal details. In conclusion, social engineering is a significant threat to cybersecurity as it targets the human factor. By being aware of common tactics like shoulder surfing and dumpster diving, individuals can take steps to safeguard their information and reduce the risk of falling victim to social engineering attacks.
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