Social Engineering and Penetration Testing

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to Social Engineering and Penetration Testing concepts.

Social Engineering

A manipulation technique that exploits human psychology to gain confidential information.

Active Social Engineering

Direct interaction with the target to extract information.

Passive Social Engineering

Gathering information without direct interaction.

Shoulder Surfing

Watching someone’s private information over their shoulder.

Eavesdropping

Listening to private conversations without consent.

Dumpster Diving

Searching through trash to find sensitive information.

Tailgating

Unauthorized entry into a restricted space by following someone.

Authority

Using perceived legitimacy or power to manipulate others.

Phishing

Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information via email.

Spear Phishing

Targeted phishing attacks aimed at specific individuals.

Whaling

Phishing attacks directed towards high-profile targets.

Smishing

Phishing conducted via SMS or text messages.

Vishing

Voice phishing, using phone calls to obtain sensitive information.

Scarcity

Exploiting the fear of missing out to manipulate decisions.

Urgency

Creating a sense of immediacy to prompt rapid response.

Social Engineering Techniques

Methods employed to deceive individuals and gain confidential information.

Penetration Testing

Simulating cyber attacks to identify vulnerabilities in systems.

Gaining Access

The phase in penetration testing where unauthorized access is achieved.

Maintaining Access

The phase where attackers ensure continued entry into a system.

Data Exfiltration

The unauthorized transfer of data out of a system.

Social Engineering Countermeasures

Strategies implemented to prevent social engineering attacks.

Regular Penetration Tests

Frequent assessments to uncover vulnerabilities.

Security Awareness Training

Educating employees on security policies and potential threats.

Access Controls

Mechanisms that restrict access to resources based on permissions.

Nmap

A network scanning tool used for discovering hosts and services.

Metasploit

A penetration testing framework that provides tools for testing and exploiting vulnerabilities.