Commonly confused

Dumpster diving vs Shoulder surfing

Dumpster diving recovers discarded media. Shoulder surfing watches screens or keypads in person.

Dumpster diving

Dumpster diving refers to the act of searching through trash or discarded materials to find sensitive information that has not been properly secured. This practice exploits the human tendency to improperly dispose of confidential data, such as documents containing personal.

Dumpster diving is searching discarded materials for sensitive information, a physical and digital security threat.

Full PathTerms™ definition

Shoulder surfing

Shoulder surfing is a social engineering technique where an attacker observes your screen or keyboard input to steal sensitive information. This can happen physically by looking over your shoulder or digitally through screen sharing or remote access tools. Understanding this.

Shoulder surfing is a social engineering attack where an attacker observes your screen or keyboard input to steal sensitive information.

Full PathTerms™ definition

Why it matters

People mix up Dumpster diving and Shoulder surfing in exam questions and job posts. Knowing the difference helps you pick the right control, process, or architecture choice.

How to remember the difference

Dumpster diving recovers discarded media. Shoulder surfing watches screens or keypads in person.

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