August 5, 2026

Cyber Insights with Folashade Social Engineering: The Human Side of Cyberattacks Cybersecurity is…

By Folashade Adewuyi

1 min read

Cyber Insights with Folashade Social Engineering: The Human Side of Cyberattacks Cybersecurity is often associated with hackers, malware, firewalls and sophisticated attacks. But there is another powerful target that cybercriminals exploit every day: People. What is Social Engineering? Social engineering is the use of deception and psychological manipulation to trick people into revealing sensitive information, providing access, or performing an action that benefits a cybercriminal. Instead of trying to break through a technical security system, an attacker may try to convince you to open the door. Common Social Engineering Techniques

  1. Phishing 📧 Fake emails or messages designed to trick you into clicking links or revealing information.
  2. Vishing 📞 Voice phishing carried out through fraudulent phone calls.
  3. Smishing 📱 Phishing attacks delivered through SMS or text messages.
  4. Pretexting 🎭 An attacker creates a believable story or identity to gain your trust and obtain information.
  5. Baiting 🎁 The attacker offers something tempting to encourage you to perform an unsafe action. Why does it work? Social engineering attacks often exploit human emotions such as: 🔴 Fear 🟠 Urgency 🟡 Curiosity 🔵 Trust 🟣 Authority Imagine receiving a message saying: "URGENT! Your bank account will be blocked today. Click here immediately to verify your account." The goal is to make you panic before you have time to think. 🛡️ How can you protect yourself? STOP. THINK. VERIFY. ✅ Don't allow urgency to control your decision. ✅ Verify unexpected requests through an official channel. ✅ Never share your password or OTP. ✅ Check links, email addresses and phone numbers carefully. ✅ Be cautious with unexpected attachments. ✅ Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). ✅ If something feels suspicious, investigate before acting. 💡 Cyber Insight Cybercriminals don't always hack your technology. Sometimes, they manipulate the person using it. Your awareness can be one of your strongest defences. 🛡️ Cyber Insights with Folashade Practical Tips. Real Awareness. Safer You.