Social engineering: phishing, dumpster diving, shoulder surfing, tailgating; malware

Social engineering attacks people rather than technology. It is often easier to trick someone into giving up a password, approving a payment or opening a door than to break encryption, so attackers exploit trust, helpfulness, fear, curiosity, authority and urgency. Many serious breaches begin with a single convincing email. Technical controls help, but awareness training, clear procedures and a culture where people feel safe reporting mistakes are the main defence. Network+ expects you to identify each technique from a description and pick sensible countermeasures, and to recognise the main types of malware that social engineering delivers.