No Tech Hacking A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumpster Diving, and Shoulder Surfing

by Johnny Long

As the clich reminds us information is power In this age of computer systems and technology an increasing majority of the world s information is stored electronically It makes sense then that as an industry we rely on high tech electronic protection systems to guard that information As a professional hacker I get paid to uncover weaknesses in those systems and exploit them Whether breaking into buildings or slipping past industrial grade firewalls my goal has always been the same extract the informational secrets using any means necessary After hundreds of jobs I discovered the secret to bypassing every conceivable high tech security system This book reveals those secrets and as the title suggests it has nothing to do with high technology As it turns out the secret isn t much of a secret at all Hackers have known about these techniques for years Presented in a light accessible style you ll get to ride shotgun with the authors on successful real world break ins as they share photos videos and stories that prove how vulnerable the high tech world is to no tech attacks As you browse this book you ll hear old familiar terms like dumpster diving social engineering and shoulder surfing Some of these terms have drifted into obscurity to the point of becoming industry folklore the tactics of the pre dawn information age But make no mistake these and other old school tactics work with amazing effectiveness today In fact there s a very good chance that someone in your organization will fall victim to one or more of these attacks this year Will they be ready Dumpster Diving Be a good sport and don t read the two D words written in big bold letters above and act surprised when I tell you hackers can accomplish this without relying on a single bit of technology punny Tailgating Hackers and ninja both like wearing black and they do share the ability to slip inside a building and blend with the shadows Shoulder Surfing If you l

Genres: Hackers, Computer Science, Nonfiction, Technology, Psychology, Textbooks, Technical

Library Binding

First published February 21, 2007

About the author

Johnny Long is a Christian by grace, a professional hacker by trade, a pirate by blood, a ninja in training, a security researcher and author. He can be found lurking at his website (http://johnny.ihackstuff.com). He is the founder of Hackers For Charity(http://ihackcharities.org), an organization that provides hackers with job experience while leveraging their skills for charities that need those skills.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I already wrote my review, but just in case . . .

A few takeaways:

1) there are many padlocks can be opened without bolt cutters
2) keep a low profile - I removed my business card that I had taped on my laptop, and from my bags;
3) shoulder-surfing 101 - just be more observant as to what's going on around you;
4) have fun with this book - it's a quick read and gets you to thinking about simple security.

There's more, just take a look at the sample chapter on Amazon.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good idea for a book. Not so great in execution. Almost looks like one of those books for 'Dummies'. The largest chapter, on Google Hacking, is ripped directly from another book by the same author and is little more than grainy, hard to read, black and white photos. I rate it an....... Eh.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good introduction to social engineering and physical penetration testing. The mix of stories as good examples and then a list of practical steps to be more resilient to social engineering attacks was good.

[TL Kett · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot to learn from this book, and the fact it's mostly pictures makes it very easy to get through. I personally feel the formatting and presentation leave something to be desired, but this is definitely a good read for information security professionals and those who are conscious about their own security.

[Stéphanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guaranteed to make you somewhat paranoid, still cool. Loved what the guy could accomplish with one camera -- the pictures were very enlightening. The no-tech chapters are full of seemingly obvious information I'd have ignored if the photos weren't there to prove we can all be a tad stupid when it comes to digital security. Just reading this made me look at my desktop with another set of eyes.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one should be on everyone's must read list. In fact, I would recommend re-reading it at least once a year until you memorize it. Some of the technical stuff is dated, but the principles and lessons are timeless. Follow up by watching the YouTube video of Johnny giving this presentation. Seriously, do it.