Artificial Intelligence: The Evolution of Social Engineering

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, social engineering has undergone significant transformations over the years, propelled by advancements in technology. From traditional methods to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), malicious actors continually adapt and leverage emerging tools to exploit vulnerabilities. This article delves into the historical shifts in social…

A Human Vulnerability Scan: The Social Engineering Risk Assessment

Every year companies lose thousands and even millions of dollars due to security breaches. Because of this, corporations may spend thousands and even millions more to build up their defenses. They may upgrade company software or increase security awareness training. With all this effort though, many security executives wonder if their resources are well spent. They may also wonder if they have…

The Role of Scope in Ethical Social Engineering

As a professional social engineer, it’s always interesting when I get asked, “What do you do for work?” When I explain that I get to test people by attempting to elicit sensitive information from them, the usual reaction is, “Cool! Can you get people’s social security numbers?” The truth is anyone with the right training and some experience could extract sensitive information from others.…

Amygdala Hijacking and Social Engineering

Once upon a time, there was a young lady that worked as a receptionist for a prestigious hotel. She was used to dealing with rude guests on occasion. However, on this particular day, a very angry guest marched his way to the front desk demanding a late check out. The young receptionist politely explained that unfortunately they were sold out and could not honor his request. The guest furrowed his…

The Official Social Engineering Hub

Security Through Education Learn how to understand the science behind the psychological, physiological and artistic aspects of human communications. This is an online resource for security professionals, adversarial simulators (pentesters), as well as enthusiasts. However, you may be asking, “What is Social Engineering?” It’s a blend of science, psychology and art. And, while it is…

Social Engineering and Healthcare

Social engineering has become a larger threat to the healthcare industry in recent years. So much so that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken note. In a 2022 report they state that they have “received multiple reports of cyber criminals increasingly targeting healthcare payment processors to redirect victim payments.” In one case, $3.1 million was redirected from victims’…

My First Three Years in the Social Engineering World

As I enter my fourth year in the social engineering world, I have been reflecting on what I’ve learned so far. A million different things go through my mind, from setting up phishing campaigns, to how you need to wear steel-toed boots while dumpster diving. But what stands out most are the lessons I’ve learned from those around me. I’ve learned so much from my mentors, peers, and students. This…

A Peek into a Professional Social Engineering Team

What do an ASL interpreter, web developer, professional actor, billing coordinator, and a call center employee all have in common? I promise this isn’t the beginning to a terrible joke. The bridge that links us is our current jobs; we are all now professional social engineers (SE). How did our paths converge? Join me as we take a peek into a professional social engineering team! We will ask them…