What is Shoulder Surfing in the context of penetration testing?

Shoulder surfing refers to the act of obtaining confidential information by observing individuals, typically as they enter sensitive data such as passwords, PINs, or any other form of personal identification. In penetration testing, understanding human behavior and social engineering tactics is essential, as attackers can sometimes bypass technical defenses simply by observing their targets.

This method highlights a critical aspect of information security, where physical interactions—such as someone watching over a person’s shoulder at an ATM or computer—can lead to unauthorized access. Recognizing the threat posed by shoulder surfing can help organizations implement strategies to mitigate this risk, such as employing privacy screens, encouraging users to be aware of their surroundings, or training staff on the importance of data protection measures.

In contrast, the other options pertain to different aspects of cybersecurity. Gathering network data remotely involves the use of various tools and techniques to understand network traffic, exploiting vulnerabilities focuses on technical weaknesses in systems, and gathering metadata from images deals with extracting additional information that isn’t immediately visible. These topics, while relevant to penetration testing, do not capture the essence of shoulder surfing as a risk related to human observation.