Which method is commonly associated with Social Engineering attacks?

Phishing emails are a primary method associated with social engineering attacks because they rely on manipulating individuals into divulging sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. This approach plays on psychological factors, such as trust, urgency, or fear, to trick victims into performing actions that compromise their security.

In this context, phishing is typically conducted through misleading emails that appear to be from legitimate sources, leading users to websites or prompts designed to harvest credentials or install malware. The effectiveness of this tactic hinges on the attacker’s ability to exploit human vulnerabilities, rather than relying solely on technical exploits, which is a hallmark of social engineering.

Other methods, while relevant in the broader context of cybersecurity, do not fit within the definition of social engineering. Firewall breaches and DDoS attacks are typically technical in nature, focusing on exploiting vulnerabilities in systems and networks. Firmware updates, although crucial for security, relate more to the maintenance and update processes of devices and do not involve the manipulation of human behavior as seen in social engineering techniques.