Social Engineering & Human Factor Security Flashcards

What is 'shoulder surfing' as a social engineering technique?

Answer: Observing someone entering passwords or PINs by looking over their shoulder

Shoulder surfing involves physically observing a target as they input sensitive data such as passwords, PINs, or credit card numbers.

What is 'dumpster diving' in information security?

Answer: Searching through discarded materials to find sensitive information

Dumpster diving involves sifting through trash to recover documents, printouts, or storage devices containing confidential information.

Which psychological principle is exploited when an attacker impersonates an IT manager demanding immediate password resets?

Answer: Authority

The authority principle makes people more likely to comply with requests from perceived figures of power or authority without questioning them.

How does a 'watering hole' attack incorporate social engineering?

Answer: Attackers compromise websites frequently visited by the target group

In a watering hole attack, adversaries infect websites that a specific target group regularly visits, exploiting trust in familiar sites.

Which of the following is the most effective organizational defense against social engineering at the human level?

Answer: Establishing a strong security culture with clear reporting procedures

A security-aware culture where employees feel empowered to question and report suspicious activity is the strongest human-layer defense.

What term describes a social engineering attack where an attacker calls pretending to be tech support and tricks the victim into installing remote access software?

Answer: Tech support scam

Tech support scams involve fraudsters posing as legitimate support agents to convince victims to grant remote access or pay for fake services.