Which concept is defined as exploiting a human rather than a technical system?

• A. The practice of exploiting a human as opposed to a system
• B. The use of sophisticated malware
• C. A network-based phishing technique
• D. A malware delivery method

Answer: (A)

Social engineering is exploiting a human rather than a technical system. This approach relies on manipulating people’s psychology—trust, fear, urgency—to get them to reveal credentials, click malicious links, or take actions that bypass defenses. It targets weaknesses in human behavior rather than software or networks, which is why it’s distinct from malware, network-based phishing, or other technical delivery methods. Defenses focus on people and process: ongoing security awareness training, phishing simulations, enforcing multi-factor authentication, and strict access controls with monitoring for unusual requests.