What is the main purpose of social engineering in cybersecurity?

The main purpose of social engineering in cybersecurity is to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information. This technique exploits human psychology rather than relying solely on technical vulnerabilities. Attackers may use various manipulative tactics such as impersonating trusted figures, creating a sense of urgency, or promising rewards to persuade victims to disclose personal or confidential data, including passwords and financial information. Social engineering highlights a critical aspect of security—human behavior—which can be more vulnerable to deception than technical safeguards.

The other options do not align with the primary focus of social engineering; performing system updates and encrypting data are tasks that involve technical skills and tools rather than psychological manipulation. Strengthening network security is a broader goal involving various defense mechanisms and protocols but does not pertain specifically to the deceptive tactics employed in social engineering.