Investing term
What is Social engineering?
Manipulating someone into giving up access, credentials, or money through psychological tactics rather than technical hacking.
Social engineering is manipulating people into giving up access, credentials, or money through psychological tricks rather than technical hacking — impersonation, false urgency, fake authority. It targets human trust, not software flaws, which makes it dangerous regardless of how strong your passwords are. Skepticism toward unsolicited contact, and never sharing codes, are the real defenses.
For example
A caller pretending to be your broker's security team pressures you to read out a login code "to verify your account" — social engineering, not hacking.
Social engineering is taught hands-on in Stage 9 — Fees, Scams & Protecting Your Money.
See the lesson →