A Social Engineering Primer – Hacking Without Hacking

by Jeff Mason

The ethical hacking tasks that I have undertaken have dealt with jobs for which I have been paid by the “target entity” (the firm desiring to test its own security weaknesses). This primer is, therefore, written in the vein of increasing the reader's own awareness of some of the more common social engineering techniques, in order that the reader may spot and avert such social engineering attempts.This primer is a guide to social engineering intended to make the general public aware of some of the more common social engineering techniques employed by hackers and social engineers. This book utilizes a seven-step, simplified approach to describe the logical progression of the social engineer's tactics.It is the author's hope that that this book might allow victims of social engineering to become more aware of attempted attacks on them or their companies; and that this book will facilitate a good defense against social engineering, by helping victims recognize the common social engineering tactics and techniques outlined within this primer. It is the author's further wish that persons reading this primer might prevent themselves and their companies from becoming social engineering victims in the first place by using the listed mitigating steps against social engineering attacks. If even one person or company is aided by the information within this book, then every word was well worth the effort.

16 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2010