Shoulder Surfing

Shoulder surfing is a type of social engineering attack where someone observes a person’s private information by literally looking over their shoulder — or from a nearby vantage point — without their knowledge.

Common targets include

• PIN codes entered at ATMs or point-of-sale terminals
• Passwords typed into computers or phones
• Confidential information on screens (e.g., emails, financial data)

Real-world examples

• A person watches you enter your phone passcode on public transport
• Someone behind you in a queue sees your ATM PIN
• In a café, someone glances at your laptop screen while you check work emails

How to protect yourself

• Use privacy screens on laptops and phones
• Shield your keyboard or screen when entering sensitive data
• Be aware of your surroundings in public spaces