[RaccoonCity_mybb_import13707]

What is Social Engineering (SE)?

Spoiler:

Social engineering (SE) has been largely misunderstood, leading to many differing opinions on what social
engineering is and how it works. This has led to a situation where some may view SE as simply lying to scam
trivial free items such as pizza or obtaining sexual gratification; others think SE just refers to the tools
used by criminals or con men, or perhaps that it is a science whose theories can be broken down into parts or
equations and studied. Or perhaps it’s a long-lost mystical art giving practitioners the ability to use
powerful mind tricks like a magician or illusionist.

Social Engineering and Its Place in Society

Spoiler:

Social engineering can be used in many areas of life, but not all of these uses are
malicious or bad. Many times social engineering can be used to motivate a person to take an action that
is good for them. How? Think about this: John needs to lose weight. He knows he is unhealthy and needs
to do something about it. All of John’s friends are overweight, too. They even make jokes about the joys
of being overweight and say things like, “I love not worrying about my figure.” This is almost like Social Engineering
because they're trying to motivate John to keep being fat.
But Social Engineering has and are being used everyday in our society. By people like:

• Hackers
  Software vendors are becoming more skilled at creating software that is hardened,
  or more difficult to break into. As hackers are hitting more hardened software and
  as software and network attack vectors, such as remote hacking, are becoming more
  difficult, hackers are turning to social engineering skills. Often using a blend of
  hardware and personal skills, hackers are using social engineering in major attacks as
  well as in minor breaches throughout the world.
  
  
• Penetration testers
  Since a real-world penetration tester (also known as a pentester) is very offensive in
  nature, this category must follow after hackers. True penetration testers learn and use
  the skills that the malicious hackers use to truly help ensure a client’s security.
  Penetration testers are people who might have the skills of a malicious black hat but who
  never use the information for personal gain or harm to the target.
  
  
• Spies
  Spies use social engineering as a way of life. Often employing every aspect of the social
  engineering framework (discussed later in this chapter), spies are experts in this science.
  Spies from all around the world are taught different methods of “fooling” victims into
  believing they are someone or something they are not. In addition to being taught the art
  of social engineering, many times spies also build on credibility by knowing a little or even
  a lot about the business or government they are trying to social engineer.
  
  
• Identity thieves
  Identity theft is the use of information such as a person’s name, bank account
  numbers, address, birth date, and social security number without the owner’s
  knowledge. This crime can range from putting on a uniform to impersonating someone
  to much more elaborate scams. Identity thieves employ many aspects
  of social engineering and as time passes they seem more emboldened and indifferent to the suffering they cause.
  
  
• Disgruntled employees
  After an employee has become disgruntled, they often enter into an adversarial
  relationship with their employer. This can often be a one-sided situation, because
  the employee will typically try to hide their level of displeasure to not put their employment
  at risk. Yet the more disgruntled they become, the easier it becomes to justify acts of theft, vandalism, or other crimes.
  
  
• Scam artist
  Scams or cons appeal to greed or other principles that attract people’s
  beliefs and desires to “make a buck.” Scam artists or con men master the
  ability to read people and pick out little cues that make a person a good “mark.”
  They also are skillful at creating situations that present as unbeatable opportunities to a mark.
  
  
• Executive recruiters
  Recruiters also must master many aspects of social engineering. Having to master elicitation
  as well as many of the psychological principles of social engineering, they become very adept
  at not only reading people but also understanding what motivates people. Many times a recruiter must
  take into consideration and please not only the job seeker but also the job poster.
  
  
• Salespeople
  Similar to recruiters, salespeople must master many people skills.
  Many sales gurus say that a good salesperson does not manipulate people but uses
  their skills to find out what people’s needs are and then sees whether they can fill it.
  The art of sales takes many skills such as information gathering, elicitation, influence,
  psychological principles, as well as many other people skills.
  
  
• Governments
  Not often looked at as social engineers, governments utilize social engineering
  to control the messages they release as well as the people they govern.
  Many governments utilize social proof, authority, and scarcity to make sure their
  subjects are in control. This type of social engineering is not always negative, because some
  of the messages governments relay are for the good of the people and using certain
  elements of social engineering can make the message more appealing and more widely accepted.
  
  
• Doctors, psychologists, and lawyers
  Although the people in these careers might not seem like they
  fit into the same category as many of these other social engineers, this
  group employs the same methods used by the other groups in this list.
  They must use elicitation and proper interview and interrogation tactics as well as many if not all of the psychological
  principles of social engineering to manipulate their “targets” (clients) into the direction they want them to take.
  

The Social Engineering Framework and How to Use It

Spoiler:

SUMMARY OF THIS PART IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ EVERYTHING:

• Changing dialect depending on who you're talking, it will increase the chance that you get them to do what you want by 20%
  
  
• If you for example want to use the fax machine and there's a big queue to it, just by saying "Can I use the fax machine?",
  will make 60% say yes. Saying "May I use the fax machine, BECAUSE I have 5 pages, and I'm in a rush",
  or whatever, just by adding that little "because" will make the percent to 94%.
  

Gathering information

Gathering information is like building a house. If you try to start with the roof your house
will surely be a failure. A good house will be built using a solid foundation and from there it
will be built literally from the ground up. As you gather information you may be overwhelmed with how to
organize and then use this data, so starting a file or an information gathering service to gather this data in is a good idea.
You can write this in for example word, kwrite, notepad, anything you'd like that works well.
More on how to get this information, how to protect it, and how to write a document like this is in
Chapter 4 in Maxx's Anti-Dox Handbook
Also, try to look for other stuff than just personal information, look for stuff like this:

• When he is leaving for vacation
  
• What type of vacation
  
• That he is local
  
• That he's recently relocated
  

Now to launch the next part of the attack, I call his direct line the day after he is supposed
to be gone and ask for him, only to be told by his receptionist, “Sorry, Mr. Smith is on vacation—can
I take a message?” Excellent. The information is verified and now all I need to do is launch the final phase,
which means dressing up in a suit and taking my $9 business cards to his office pretending to be him.
This is a good example of a typical Social Engineering attack.

Going throught garbage
Yes, as hard as it is to imagine enjoying jumping through the trash, it can yield one of the most lucrative payoffs
or information gathering. People often throw away invoices, notices, letters, CDs, computers, USB keys, and a plethora
of other devices and reports that can truly give amazing amounts of information. As mentioned previously, if people are willing
to throw away art that is worth millions, then things they view as trash will often go without a second thought, right into the garbage.

Conversation

These are stuff to think about during conversation over the internet and in person.

• Be natrual
  
• Educate yourself
  
• Don't be greedy
  

Nothing can kill a conversation quicker than seeming to be uncomfortable or unnatural in the conversation.
To see this for yourself try this exercise. Have a conversation with someone about
something you know a lot about. If you can record it somehow or have someone else take notice,
see how you stand, your posture, and the way you assert your knowledge. All of these things will
scream confidence and naturalness. Then inject yourself in a conversation you know nothing about and have the same
recording or friend observing. See how all those nonverbal aspects change for you when you try to inject an intelligent thought into a
conversation you know nothing about. This exercise shows you the difference in being natural and not being natural.
The person(s) you are conversing with will be able to see it easily, which will kill all chances of successful elicitation.


Becoming a Successful Elicitor

These will probably be your biggest opponents in Social Engineering:

• A lack of fear to talk to people and be in situations that are not considered “normal.”
  
• I truly do care for people, even if I don’t know them. I want to and enjoy listening to people.
  
• I offer advice or help only when I have a real solution.
  
• I offer a non-judgmental ear for people to talk about their problems.
  

Practice Dialects or Expressions

As weird as it might sound, if you're someone calling people over the phone because you want to sell your product,
just by changing your dialect to some country outside the person you're calling lives in will increase the chance by 20%
that they'll buy it.

Get anyone to like you

Spoiler:

What are those elusive traits and qualities that arouse feelings of friendship and likeability in a person?
In just a minute you'll discover that they're not elusive at all.
In fact they can be reduced to a simple formula that will help you to develop a natural chemistry with
anyone. The fact is we like or dislike a person based upon a strict set of mostly unconscious processes.
It does not happen by chance. But the reality that we're unaware of the process makes it seem as if it occurs
without much rhyme or reason. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The following is a complete list and
discussion of the nine psychological laws and phenomena that affect, influence, and even alter what we think of someone
so you can get anyone to like you. Keep in mind, too, that research shows that our liking a person can influence how physically
attractive we think he or she is, and that we also tend to like more someone whom we find attractive. So this chapter and the one
that follows it go hand-in-hand and can be used as part of an overall strategy.

• If he's in a good mood he'll likely greet you with a full smile, eyes wide open.
  If he greets you with a partial "lips only" smile— one that does not involve his whole face—then this is a "forced courtesy smile" and usually reflects a person who is not in a good mood.
  
  
• Eye contact is a strong indicator of mood. When we are in a good mood we tend to make more direct eye contact. Conversely,
  when we're in a bad mood we tend to look down or away from the person we're speaking to.
  

How you make her feel
How someone feels about you is greatly determined by how you make her feel about herself.
You can spend all day trying to get her to like you and to think well of you, but it's how you make
her feel when she is around you that makes the difference. Have you ever noticed how nice it is to be
around someone who is complimentary and sincerely kind and warm? Conversely, have you ever thought about how annoying
it is to spend five minutes with the person who's always finding fault with everything and everyone? These people seem to drain
the life right out of you. Being the person who makes people feel good will go a long way toward their finding you quite likable.

It is not true that opposites attract. We actually like more those people who are similar to us and who have similar interests.
We may find someone interesting because of how different he is from us, but it's the similarities and commonalities that generate
mutual liking. Like attracts like. When you speak to this person, talk about what you both enjoy and what you have in common.

Helping her out
Studies in human nature show us that people dislike others more after doing them harm. Please note that I did not say
that we do harm to those whom we dislike, although this may be true. The point here is that when we do harm to another, either
on purpose or by accident, we are unconsciously driven to dislike the person. This is an attempt to reduce dissonance.
(Cognitive dissonance theory as it applies here states that we feel uneasy when we do something that is inconsistent with how we see ourselves.
Therefore to reduce this inner conflict we rationalize our actions to remain consistent with our self- concept.) The internal conflict created is,
"Why did I do this to this person?" The rationalization then becomes, "It must be because I really don't like him and he deserves it.
Otherwise I would be a bad or careless person, and that cannot be so. If you can get him to do you a small favour, this will generate kind and warm
feelings toward you. Often, in our attempt to get someone to like us, we make the mistake of doing nice things for him. And while he may appreciate
your kindness and think you're a nice person, it doesn't make him like you more, even though you may be viewed as more likable.
What you want is for him to have kind feelings toward you, not to just believe that you are a kind person. This is accomplished by him doing for you, not by you doing for him.

Positive Attitude
As we talked about before, we like people who are similar to us. But there is one exception to this rule. Nobody wants to be around a moody, often pissed-off, pessimistic person. We all seek, like, and admire those who have a positive, happy outlook and perspective on life. Why? Because that is what we all want. And seeing this desirable spirit in others makes us like them more. You may know a person— or may even be someone—who finds annoying those who wake up smiling and in a good mood. The fact is though, at some level we are drawn to that attitude and to that person. Think of the people in your life whom you really can't stand to be around. Chances are they are always complaining about something; always annoyed with somebody; always finding fault with everything. Like confidence, a positive attitude toward life will help to turn you into a superhuman magnet for attracting people and getting anyone to like you.

Strategy Overview:

• Be around the person as much as you can because familiarity breeds fondness, not contempt!
  
• When you speak with him try to do it when he's in a good mood to enact the law of association. Talk about common interests or experiences that you share and try to do more of the listening and less of the talking.
  
• Let him do a simple favour for you, but make sure that it's not out of a sense of obligation. This creates an unconscious motivation to like you more.
  
• We are drawn to confident people. Show your confidence by being able to laugh at yourself and not taking yourself too seriously.
  
• Have a positive mental attitude. We are drawn to people who are excited, passionate, and happy about life and being alive.
  

How to Appear Calm, Confident and in Control in Any Situation

Spoiler:

These techniques are included in this section because as we talked about in the previous chapters,
confidence and likeability go together. We are attracted to, admire, and tend to like those whom we see as in
control and secure in themselves. (There's nothing less attractive than a person who has a low opinion of himself.) And while this
chapter won't give you self-esteem, the techniques can make you appear and actually feel more calm and confident.
This will allow you to get into an optimum state in any situation or conversation.

Have you ever noticed that after a large meal you feel fairly relaxed and calm? This is because your blood sugar
level is stable and the body is not producing high levels of adrenaline to compensate for fluctuations (because science). The ideal, though,
is to eat small nonrefined meals. This will keep your blood sugar levels steady and your mind calm; you won't feel too sluggish to think clearly.
By changing your physiology you can actually change your brain chemistry. For example, studies show that when we smile we actually put
ourselves into a better mood. It has long been thought that we smile when we feel happy—which is of course true. There is strong evidence,
however, that the act itself can transform your emotional state and make you feel happier.
The most important, dominant factors that affect mood and our emotional state are:

• Smile. This is a universal sign that you are comfortable. And again, according to several studies, the very act of smiling calms you down and actually makes you feel more relaxed.
  
• Breathe! When we're nervous we tend to hold our breath. Breathe deeply and regularly. This will calm you down instantly and make it easier for you to think, react, and speak clearly and confidently.
  
  The central nervous system is made up of our brain and spinal cord.
  It is impossible to completely relax the mind unless you relax the spinal cord as well.
  Yoga helps to achieve this. Notice how high-strung and nervous people carry themselves.
  Their bodies are often tense and stiff. Working out the tensions in the physical body begins the process of releasing emotional stresses.
  
  Strategy Overview:
  • Don't overlook the powerful physiological influence of blood sugar levels. Avoid engaging the fight-or-flight response by avoiding sugars and refined carbohydrates.
    
  • Smile! Research shows that the very act of smiling actually makes you feel more relaxed and calm.
    
  • Breathe deeply. When we're nervous we tend to hold our breath. Deep breathing instantly relaxes the central nervous system and literally calms your nerves.
    
  • For long-term stress reduction practice yoga. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. It is impossible to feel completely relaxed mentally unless your body is at ease.
    

The Six-Star Test to See if Someone Is a True Friend

Spoiler:

Does she really care about you? Is he loyal? Is he just pretending to like you?
Sometimes it can be hard to sift out those who pretend to be our friends from real true friends.
But you don't have to waste time in dead-end or selfish relationships anymore. With these psychological secrets you'll
never have to worry whether he's got your best interests at heart—or his own! You'll know for sure, every time. This might be a
good place to remind you that friendship is the foundation for any relationship. If you are with someone who fails this test, the relationship may not be a
very sound one.

THE SIX-STAR TEST TO SEE IF SHE'S A TRUE FRIEND

• Interest
  One important criterion that defines a friend is how interested the person is
  in your life. Tell her about something significant that is going on in your life and
  see if she calls to follow up and find out what happened. If she doesn't, then call her and see
  if she mentions it. Finally, if she doesn't bring it up, hint about it and see if she even remembers the conversation
  you had about it previously.
  
• Loyality
  Tell a secret about a mutual friend and see if it gets back to him or her.
  True friends know the value of trust in a relationship. Just make sure that you get
  the permission of your friend to tell her secret to this other person.
  
• Pride
  Anyone can tell you to cheer up. It makes them feel good.
  But see who pats you on the back for a good job. Those who are not driven by jealousy and
  envy will do just that. Your true friends are proud of your accomplishments, not jealous of your successes.
  See if a friend comes to you when you get good news, not just bad news. There are lots of people who are willing to "cheer us up"
  when things aren't going well. But it's more difficult to find someone who will congratulate us when things are going well.
  
• Honesty
  A true friend is someone who tells you the things that you don't want to hear.
  She is willing to have you be upset with her if it will help you. Does she tell you things that are
  for your benefit even though she knows that it might make you upset with her?
  
• Respect
  Tell her that there is something exciting—something that is good—going on in your life but
  you absolutely prefer not to talk about it right now and see if she presses you on it.
  There's a difference between curiosity and concern. If she "must know" then she's just interested in the gossip
  and not in you. A good friend will respect your wishes and give you your space—for now. She may bring it up from time to time,
  because she's interested, but she won't constantly and immediately press you on it if you make it clear that you choose not to discuss it now.
  The reason you use a positive instead of a negative "mystery" is because if a good friend feels that something is wrong or that you are not well, she will insist on knowing now because she is concerned. You don't want to "test" her this way, however, because you
  wouldn't want to put your friend through this.
  
• Sacrifice
  Is she willing to give up something if it means making you happy?
  Will she sacrifice her own pleasure for your happiness? Who decides what you do? Is the word
  compromise in her vocabulary? And when the chips are down and it's you against them, most people scramble to protect
  their own interests. Notice if she is the one who has ideas or a plan to help both of you to "escape unscathed" or whether
  she just looks to save herself and protect her own interests.
  
  Strategy Overview:
  • If she passes four or more of the six tests, you've probably got a good friend whom you can count on.
    If she scores three or less, you might want to review your friendship or speak to her about it. Of course,
    when we have a lot going on in our own lives we can become inadvertently distracted and
    unintentionally insensitive. So it's best to gauge the relationship using these six factors over a period
    of time and not just in a twenty-four-hour period.
    

Get Anyone to Say What He's Really Thinking

Spoiler:

Ever wish you could peer into someone's mind to find out what he really thinks about you, your idea,
your project, or your date? Now you can with the ultimate mind-reading technique that actually uses a combination of several
psychological principles. When you think someone isn't telling you the truth this sure-fire technique is an excellent method for revealing a
persons true feelings in any situation. Getting a truthful opinion from someone can be hard because
you can't outright call him a liar, arguing that he doesn't really believe what he is saying. For this technique to work,
you just have to get the person to commit to liking the idea/person, etc.
Once she says that she likes it, don't argue or press her on it. This is exactly where most people mess up.
They'll say something like, "Are you sure you like it? Do you really?" The other person is not now going to say,
"Well, now that I think of it. . ." She's going to become more absolute in her approval and you may not be getting to what she really thinks.
With this technique, you'll see that the words you use in your response indicate that you agree and that there is room for improvement.
She feels comfortable offering criticism because she feels that you expect her to do so. The two main psychological tactics at work here are consistency
(human beings have a need for continuity with their thinking) and expectancy (people often do what is expected of them). Both of these concepts are covered
more extensively in other sections throughout this book.

Example I You're not sure if your co-worker really likes your idea for a new marketing campaign, even though she says that she does.

Q: Do you like the concept for my new idea?
A: Sure. It's very original.
Q: Well, what would it take for you to love the idea?

As you can see, your co-worker feels comfortable answering honestly because your questions to him/her makes it obvious that you know that
everything's not perfect. By not pressing the point of their liking it,
their answer naturally unfolds as an extension of what they've already said, and the truth—what they're really
thinking—merely "pops" out.

Strategy Overview:

• Just get her to commit to liking the idea, person, or object. Then simply ask her how she thinks that it can be improved upon.
  

SOURCES:
TEDxSanAntonio - Brian Brushwood, SE talk
The Art of Human Manipulation
Get Anyone To Do Anything