Go back about 15 years and if you and I were sitting over a whisky having a chat I would never have imagined that social engineering would be where it is today. When I started this company and began writing Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking, I never thought we would be where we are today either.
Jumping forward all these years, social engineering (SE) is the largest vector used in the present day for malicious hacking purposes and is now a fully-fledged industry.
Understanding the Science
Over the last decade plus I have had the chance to delve deep into studying what we call social engineering, and how it is made up of communication styles, rapport, influence, elicitation, nonverbals and critical thinking. Analyzing these areas has helped me tremendously in my business and everyday life.
I was also seeing a huge shift in my five day (now four day)Advanced Practical Social Engineering Class that made me see all the different uses for SE. Having teachers, therapists, stay at home parents, managers, red teamers, pentesters, enthusiasts,sales people, nurses and so many others take the training to learn how to use these skills has led me to this path.
After all these years it was time to take social engineering to next level, to open the curtain and allow everyone to see the secrets behind, to learn to use them and benefit from them.
The Next Level
A little over one and half years ago my friend Joe Navarro and I were talking about this idea I had to take social engineering to a more public, out of security arena. He thought the idea sounded fascinating and introduced me to his agent, Steve. There was one caveat, Steve doesn’t market, he doesn’t take in new clients easily and he has been doing this for a long time. So, I shouldn’t get my hopes up.
“This is, hands down, the must-read book of the year!” —Joe Navarro, author of the international bestseller, What Every BODY Is Saying
Then the unexpected happened…
I entered enthusiastic but cautious. And, to my surprise Steve took me on and only a few months later I was signed by Harper Collin’s to write a book that would literally be my vision in paper. I was partnered with this amazing writer, Seth Schulman, and we began the next 1.5 years of our life together. We wrote: Human Hacking: Win Friends, Influence People and Leave Them Better Off For Having Met You.
As we penned these pages, I was growing increasingly more excited about the concept becoming a reality, in how this idea was now coming to life.
But… Why?
I got asked early on, why does this book need to exist. Why do I feel so strongly that it was time, now more than ever for this book to be printed?
I mentioned my classes and the people that have been coming over the last 5-6, but let me tell you a few stories.
One student came to the class and after learning for the week she realized she had profound unhappiness in her life. The class helped her self-analyze and then empowered her to make a change. She changed careers, found something that made her so happy. She fought hard to end an addiction and now lives a fulfilling life, and she gives APSE some of that credit.
Another, after taking the DISC assessment in class realized why he and his wife fought so much. He asked to speak to me and get some advice. Although I am not a counselor and never pretend to be, I ended up helping him and his wife through the assessment and using my own personal experience to assist them in saving their marriage.
Another student came to class, despite not being in the industry. What she learned changed her so much she now has a whole new career, a whole new life and is better off for having met us.
I have dozens if not more stories like this. And I realized that not everyone will be able to come to an APSE class. So, I wanted to put this information in a form that every person can benefit from. And I am happy to say, that as of tomorrow, Jan 5th 2021– you can buy this book and see the labor of love then went into it.
What Can You Expect?
I have made a ton of mistakes in life; I still do all the time. Through all the years though I have learned a few lessons and it is those lessons I put in these pages.
- The way we can learn to communicate better, more fully and more real.
- The way that empathy can change your life and relationships.
- How building rapport can enhance your everyday engagements.
- How being an active listener can bring your conversational skill to a new level.
- Why getting what you want isn’t always the right path.
- How compassion, sympathy and kindness can make your life and all those around you better.
- How suspending your ego does not make you weak but makes you the most powerful version of you ever.
- Why leaving them feeling better for having met you is a great life motto.
Each of these lessons and so much more is painted clearly on the canvas of my social engineering work, life lessons and the many mistakes I have made to help me learn those lessons.
My Only Hope…..
I have learned that writing is always a labor of love. You put your heart and soul on paper, I even did the reading for the audio edition. Some people will love it, some will hate it, and some will be just… meh… over it.
That is ok. But my hope is that if you spend the time in those pages with me, that you learn something, that it helps you and that I leave you feeling better for having met me, even if it is just on the printed page.
You can find more info on the book at:
or
https://smile.amazon.com/Human-Hacking-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0063001780/
Thank you to all of those who have encouraged me and who have helped me.
I hope you enjoy it, and as always, if you do not please reach out and tell me why.
Till next time.
Written by: Chris Hadnagy
Bonus!
Want a sample of the new Human Hacking book? You can download the first chapter AND listen to a sample of the audio book today. Both can be found on our resources page!