Social Engineering: GCSE Computer Science Definition

What is a social engineering?

In GCSE Computer Science, social engineering is a range of techniques with the aim of exploiting weaknesses in a computer system by targeting the people who use or have access to it. People are seen as the weak point in a system because human errors can lead to significant issues, including sharing passwords.

There are many forms of social engineering, some examples include fraudulent phone calls, phishing emails and pretexting. Social engineering is a term used to describe a range of techniques used to try and trick the end user into giving away valuable information. For example, a hacker may make a phone call to a company, claiming to update the account details for their partner as they have just moved house and need to update their contact information. The company should not allow this and should only speak with the owner of the account. On occasions, companies break protocol thinking they are being helpful to the end user, unknowingly helping the hacker gain unauthorised access to an account. 

Social Engineering Revision Resources to Ace Your Exams

Explore social engineering in more detail and master other key-related terms such as malware & brute force attacks. Challenge yourself with our expertly created topic questions and reinforce your learning with our interactive flashcards. 

GCSE Computer Science Revision Resources