social engineering
noun
1
: management of human beings in accordance with their place and function in society : applied social science
2
: social methods (such as phishing) that are used to obtain personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly
The previously noted trend of switching from social engineering to hacking methods in attacks on organizations strengthened …—
San Fernando Valley (California) Business Journal
San Fernando Valley (California) Business Journal
social engineer
noun
plural social engineers
Examples of social engineering in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That includes any reconnaissance an attacker would perform through open-source intelligence or direct social engineering simulations on employees.
—Margarita Simonova, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Just days before the breach, the FBI warned that Scattered Spider, a hacking group known for its social engineering and ransomware tactics, was targeting airlines.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
After gaining access to internal services through social engineering, Scattered Spider monitors communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and email platforms to detect any signs that their activity has been discovered.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group identifies Scattered Spider as a financially motivated threat actor known for its persistent use of social engineering and brazen communications with victims.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for social engineering
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Margarita Simonova, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Just days before the breach, the FBI warned that Scattered Spider, a hacking group known for its social engineering and ransomware tactics, was targeting airlines.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
After gaining access to internal services through social engineering, Scattered Spider monitors communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and email platforms to detect any signs that their activity has been discovered.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group identifies Scattered Spider as a financially motivated threat actor known for its persistent use of social engineering and brazen communications with victims.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for social engineering
Cite this Entry
“Social engineering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20engineering. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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