What does "social engineering" primarily exploit?

Social engineering primarily exploits human psychology and behavior because it relies on manipulating individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes. This form of attack capitalizes on psychological triggers such as trust, fear, urgency, or the desire to help, which can lead individuals to make decisions that compromise their security.

Attackers skilled in social engineering often create scenarios that feel legitimate or urgent, prompting individuals to bypass standard security protocols. By understanding the way people think and behave, social engineers can craft convincing messages or situations that trick victims into providing sensitive information, such as passwords or account numbers.

In contrast, the other options focus on technical aspects of security. While vulnerabilities in hardware, network architecture, or software design flaws are critical to overall cybersecurity, they are not the focus of social engineering attacks. These tactics highlight the importance of human factors in security awareness and the need for training individuals to recognize and resist social engineering attempts.