What is social engineering in the context of cybersecurity?

Social engineering refers to the manipulation technique that exploits human psychology to gain confidential information or access to systems. In the context of cybersecurity, it relies on deceiving individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, personal identification numbers, or confidential organizational data. Instead of attacking physical or technical systems directly, social engineers target the human element, assuming that people are often the weakest link in the security chain. Techniques might include phishing emails, pretexting, or baiting, all designed to trick individuals into providing information or access that would otherwise be restricted.

The other choices reference important aspects of cybersecurity, but they do not pertain to social engineering. Secure coding practices, encrypting sensitive data, and building firewalls are all protective measures aimed at securing systems and data but do not engage with the human behavioral aspect that social engineering targets.