What impact does social engineering have according to DSAC Annex B?

Social engineering has a significant impact because it exploits human psychology to gain unauthorized access to systems and data. This technique relies on manipulating individuals rather than using technical vulnerabilities to breach security.

Attackers often use tactics such as phishing, pretexting, and baiting to deceive people into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise their organization's security. By understanding human behavior and leveraging emotions like fear, urgency, or trust, social engineers can effectively bypass most technical security measures.

The focus on human weaknesses highlights the importance of comprehensive security awareness training for employees, as well as developing a culture of skepticism and verification when dealing with sensitive information or requests. Addressing social engineering threats requires organizations to implement countermeasures that safeguard against these human-centric vulnerabilities, demonstrating that security isn't solely a technical issue but also involves human factors that need attention.