Social engineering, such as phishing, is a manipulation technique that relies on computer error to gain private information, access, or valuables.

Actually, the statement is not entirely accurate. Social engineering, including phishing, is a manipulation technique that relies more on human error rather than computer error. It involves tricking people into giving out their private information, access, or valuables, often by pretending to be a trustworthy entity. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Identification: The attacker identifies the target and gathers as much information as possible about them. This could include their interests, the websites they frequently visit, their workplace, etc.

2. Trust Building: The attacker then uses this information to build trust with the target. They might pretend to be a friend, a bank, a service provider, or any other entity that the target is likely to trust.

3. Exploitation: Once trust is established, the attacker tricks the target into giving out their private information, access, or valuables. This could be done through a fake website, a fraudulent email, a scam phone call, etc.

4. Use of Information: The attacker then uses the obtained information for malicious purposes. This could include identity theft, financial fraud, data breaches, etc.

So, while computer systems can have vulnerabilities that these attackers exploit, the main focus of social engineering is exploiting human vulnerabilities.