social engineering

Definitions

1. Use of numerical data to inform social programs.
   uncountable
2. Efforts to influence attitudes and social behaviors on a large scale, in order to produce desired characteristics in a target population.
   uncountable
3. The practice of tricking a user into giving, or giving access to, sensitive information, thereby bypassing most or all protection.
   uncountable

Equivalents

6 more languages

Češtinasociální inženýrství

Suomiasennekasvatussosiaalinen manipulointi

Gaeilgeinnealtóireacht shóisialta

Bahasa Indonesiapermesinan sosialrekayasa sosial

Polskiinżynieria społecznasocjotechnicznysocjotechnika

Русскийсоциальная инженерия

Examples

“The following discussion will use⟳ two examples - namely public housing and the social security scheme, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) - to illustrate⟳ the effects of distributing the fruits of economic development via social engineering projects.”

“In 1961, Russell Kirk provided a distillation of these conservative salvos against social engineering in a more public forum. In The New York Times Magazine, the political scientist and regular National Review⟳ columnist cited Pitirim Sorkin's call⟳ in Fads and Foibles for a balancing of the scientific method with older humanistic modes of inquiry as evidence that mainstream sociologists had become⟳ scientistic "true believers," rejecting "humanitarian" models of inquiry in favor of that which could be measured and tabulated.”

“In other words, we note⟳ that the social engineering model⟳ of knowledge utilization research⟳ is burdened with the outdated maxim of "technology as applied science". Accepting the possibility of intermediary professions, we get⟳ the "real" social engineering model⟳, entailing an independent analytic profession, as an alternative to the enlightenment model⟳ with its romantic dichotomy between theory and practice.”

“Madness, from this point⟳ of view⟳, is not finally a medical phenomenon at all, but a phenomenon of social engineering, manipulation, and coercion, and of the politically motivated labeling of deviant behavior.”

“From one perspective, much of what goes on in every society's day-to-day operations qualifies as social engineering. One can view⟳ child rearing, schooling, military indoctrination and any other means of mobilizing bias as social engineering without doing violence to the concept.”

“China's Golden Shield has long been a byword for internet censorship. Although easily circumvented, its main purpose is to encourage⟳ citizens' self-censorship, a large-scale social engineering project of some success.”

“There are certain types of social engineering that represent⟳ possible dangers. For example, you may not be aware that your ideas are being intentionally manipulated and, on another level, the manipulation itself could be dangerous.”

“Meronyms: smishing, phishing, vishing”

“TEISME can teach⟳ employees on how to recognise⟳ a possible social engineering attack.”

“To attack your organization, social engineering hackers exploit the credulity, laziness, good manners, or even enthusiasm of your staff.”

“The main reason⟳ social engineering takes place⟳ is because it is easier to gain⟳ access to a trusted source by simply manipulating someone who can give⟳ you access instead of breaking in through technological means.”

CEFR level