What is social engineering in the context of cybersecurity?

Social engineering in cybersecurity refers to techniques used by malicious actors to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that can be used for fraudulent purposes. This can involve various methods, such as phishing emails, pretexting, or other deceptive strategies that exploit human psychology.

The focus of social engineering is not on exploiting technical vulnerabilities in systems or software but rather on targeting the users themselves, leveraging trust, fear, or urgency to provoke the desired response. Because individuals often represent the weakest link in a security framework, social engineering tactics can be quite effective, making understanding this concept vital for cybersecurity practices.

In contrast, the other options represent different aspects of cybersecurity. Physical barriers relate to security measures, software vulnerability analysis focuses on technical assessments rather than human behavior, and technical support provides assistance with system use rather than addressing the manipulation of individuals. Therefore, the definition relating to manipulation of people is accurately summarized by the correct choice.