Social Engineering in IT Security: Tools, Tactics, and Techniques
Social Engineering in IT Security: Tools, Tactics, and Techniques

Author: Sharon Conheady

Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional

Published: 2014-08-05

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0071818472

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Cutting-edge social engineering testing techniques "Provides all of the core areas and nearly everything [you] need to know about the fundamentals of the topic."--Slashdot Conduct ethical social engineering tests to identify an organization's susceptibility to attack. Written by a global expert on the topic, Social Engineering in IT Security discusses the roots and rise of social engineering and presents a proven methodology for planning a test, performing reconnaissance, developing scenarios, implementing the test, and accurately reporting the results. Specific measures you can take to defend against weaknesses a social engineer may exploit are discussed in detail. This practical guide also addresses the impact of new and emerging technologies on future trends in social engineering. Explore the evolution of social engineering, from the classic con artist to the modern social engineer Understand the legal and ethical aspects of performing a social engineering test Find out why social engineering works from a victim's point of view Plan a social engineering test--perform a threat assessment, scope the test, set goals, implement project planning, and define the rules of engagement Gather information through research and reconnaissance Create a credible social engineering scenario Execute both on-site and remote social engineering tests Write an effective social engineering report Learn about various tools, including software, hardware, and on-site tools Defend your organization against social engineering attacks

Cyber Warfare
Cyber Warfare

Author: Jason Andress

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2011-07-13

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 1597496383

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Cyber Warfare Techniques, Tactics and Tools for Security Practitioners provides a comprehensive look at how and why digital warfare is waged. This book explores the participants, battlefields, and the tools and techniques used during today's digital conflicts. The concepts discussed will give students of information security a better idea of how cyber conflicts are carried out now, how they will change in the future, and how to detect and defend against espionage, hacktivism, insider threats and non-state actors such as organized criminals and terrorists. Every one of our systems is under attack from multiple vectors - our defenses must be ready all the time and our alert systems must detect the threats every time. This book provides concrete examples and real-world guidance on how to identify and defend a network against malicious attacks. It considers relevant technical and factual information from an insider's point of view, as well as the ethics, laws and consequences of cyber war and how computer criminal law may change as a result. Starting with a definition of cyber warfare, the book's 15 chapters discuss the following topics: the cyberspace battlefield; cyber doctrine; cyber warriors; logical, physical, and psychological weapons; computer network exploitation; computer network attack and defense; non-state actors in computer network operations; legal system impacts; ethics in cyber warfare; cyberspace challenges; and the future of cyber war. This book is a valuable resource to those involved in cyber warfare activities, including policymakers, penetration testers, security professionals, network and systems administrators, and college instructors. The information provided on cyber tactics and attacks can also be used to assist in developing improved and more efficient procedures and technical defenses. Managers will find the text useful in improving the overall risk management strategies for their organizations. - Provides concrete examples and real-world guidance on how to identify and defend your network against malicious attacks - Dives deeply into relevant technical and factual information from an insider's point of view - Details the ethics, laws and consequences of cyber war and how computer criminal law may change as a result

The Art of Deception
The Art of Deception

Author: Kevin D. Mitnick

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-08-04

Total Pages: 375

ISBN-13: 076453839X

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The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security Kevin Mitnick's exploits as a cyber-desperado and fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history and have spawned dozens of articles, books, films, and documentaries. Since his release from federal prison, in 1998, Mitnick has turned his life around and established himself as one of the most sought-after computer security experts worldwide. Now, in The Art of Deception, the world's most notorious hacker gives new meaning to the old adage, "It takes a thief to catch a thief." Focusing on the human factors involved with information security, Mitnick explains why all the firewalls and encryption protocols in the world will never be enough to stop a savvy grifter intent on rifling a corporate database or an irate employee determined to crash a system. With the help of many fascinating true stories of successful attacks on business and government, he illustrates just how susceptible even the most locked-down information systems are to a slick con artist impersonating an IRS agent. Narrating from the points of view of both the attacker and the victims, he explains why each attack was so successful and how it could have been prevented in an engaging and highly readable style reminiscent of a true-crime novel. And, perhaps most importantly, Mitnick offers advice for preventing these types of social engineering hacks through security protocols, training programs, and manuals that address the human element of security.

Social Engineering
Social Engineering

Author: Christopher Hadnagy

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2010-11-29

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 1118029712

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The first book to reveal and dissect the technical aspect of many social engineering maneuvers From elicitation, pretexting, influence and manipulation all aspects of social engineering are picked apart, discussed and explained by using real world examples, personal experience and the science behind them to unraveled the mystery in social engineering. Kevin Mitnick—one of the most famous social engineers in the world—popularized the term “social engineering.” He explained that it is much easier to trick someone into revealing a password for a system than to exert the effort of hacking into the system. Mitnick claims that this social engineering tactic was the single-most effective method in his arsenal. This indispensable book examines a variety of maneuvers that are aimed at deceiving unsuspecting victims, while it also addresses ways to prevent social engineering threats. Examines social engineering, the science of influencing a target to perform a desired task or divulge information Arms you with invaluable information about the many methods of trickery that hackers use in order to gather information with the intent of executing identity theft, fraud, or gaining computer system access Reveals vital steps for preventing social engineering threats Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking does its part to prepare you against nefarious hackers—now you can do your part by putting to good use the critical information within its pages.

Learn Social Engineering
Learn Social Engineering

Author: Dr. Erdal Ozkaya

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2018-04-30

Total Pages: 557

ISBN-13: 1788838009

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Improve information security by learning Social Engineering. Key Features Learn to implement information security using social engineering Get hands-on experience of using different tools such as Kali Linux, the Social Engineering toolkit and so on Practical approach towards learning social engineering, for IT security Book Description This book will provide you with a holistic understanding of social engineering. It will help you to avoid and combat social engineering attacks by giving you a detailed insight into how a social engineer operates. Learn Social Engineering starts by giving you a grounding in the different types of social engineering attacks,and the damages they cause. It then sets up the lab environment to use different toolS and then perform social engineering steps such as information gathering. The book covers topics from baiting, phishing, and spear phishing, to pretexting and scareware. By the end of the book, you will be in a position to protect yourself and your systems from social engineering threats and attacks. All in all, the book covers social engineering from A to Z , along with excerpts from many world wide known security experts. What you will learn Learn to implement information security using social engineering Learn social engineering for IT security Understand the role of social media in social engineering Get acquainted with Practical Human hacking skills Learn to think like a social engineer Learn to beat a social engineer Who this book is for This book targets security professionals, security analysts, penetration testers, or any stakeholder working with information security who wants to learn how to use social engineering techniques. Prior knowledge of Kali Linux is an added advantage

Cybersecurity - Attack and Defense Strategies
Cybersecurity - Attack and Defense Strategies

Author: Yuri Diogenes

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2018-01-30

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 178847385X

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Key Features Gain a clear understanding of the attack methods, and patterns to recognize abnormal behavior within your organization with Blue Team tactics Learn to unique techniques to gather exploitation intelligence, identify risk and demonstrate impact with Red Team and Blue Team strategies A practical guide that will give you hands-on experience to mitigate risks and prevent attackers from infiltrating your system Book DescriptionThe book will start talking about the security posture before moving to Red Team tactics, where you will learn the basic syntax for the Windows and Linux tools that are commonly used to perform the necessary operations. You will also gain hands-on experience of using new Red Team techniques with powerful tools such as python and PowerShell, which will enable you to discover vulnerabilities in your system and how to exploit them. Moving on, you will learn how a system is usually compromised by adversaries, and how they hack user's identity, and the various tools used by the Red Team to find vulnerabilities in a system. In the next section, you will learn about the defense strategies followed by the Blue Team to enhance the overall security of a system. You will also learn about an in-depth strategy to ensure that there are security controls in each network layer, and how you can carry out the recovery process of a compromised system. Finally, you will learn how to create a vulnerability management strategy and the different techniques for manual log analysis.What you will learn Learn the importance of having a solid foundation for your security posture Understand the attack strategy using cyber security kill chain Learn how to enhance your defense strategy by improving your security policies, hardening your network, implementing active sensors, and leveraging threat intelligence Learn how to perform an incident investigation Get an in-depth understanding of the recovery process Understand continuous security monitoring and how to implement a vulnerability management strategy Learn how to perform log analysis to identify suspicious activities Who this book is for This book aims at IT professional who want to venture the IT security domain. IT pentester, Security consultants, and ethical hackers will also find this course useful. Prior knowledge of penetration testing would be beneficial.

Social Engineering
Social Engineering

Author: Christopher Hadnagy

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2018-06-25

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 1119433754

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Harden the human firewall against the most current threats Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking reveals the craftier side of the hacker’s repertoire—why hack into something when you could just ask for access? Undetectable by firewalls and antivirus software, social engineering relies on human fault to gain access to sensitive spaces; in this book, renowned expert Christopher Hadnagy explains the most commonly-used techniques that fool even the most robust security personnel, and shows you how these techniques have been used in the past. The way that we make decisions as humans affects everything from our emotions to our security. Hackers, since the beginning of time, have figured out ways to exploit that decision making process and get you to take an action not in your best interest. This new Second Edition has been updated with the most current methods used by sharing stories, examples, and scientific study behind how those decisions are exploited. Networks and systems can be hacked, but they can also be protected; when the “system” in question is a human being, there is no software to fall back on, no hardware upgrade, no code that can lock information down indefinitely. Human nature and emotion is the secret weapon of the malicious social engineering, and this book shows you how to recognize, predict, and prevent this type of manipulation by taking you inside the social engineer’s bag of tricks. Examine the most common social engineering tricks used to gain access Discover which popular techniques generally don’t work in the real world Examine how our understanding of the science behind emotions and decisions can be used by social engineers Learn how social engineering factors into some of the biggest recent headlines Learn how to use these skills as a professional social engineer and secure your company Adopt effective counter-measures to keep hackers at bay By working from the social engineer’s playbook, you gain the advantage of foresight that can help you protect yourself and others from even their best efforts. Social Engineering gives you the inside information you need to mount an unshakeable defense.

Human Hacking
Human Hacking

Author: Christopher Hadnagy

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2021-01-05

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0063001799

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A global security expert draws on psychological insights to help you master the art of social engineering—human hacking. Make friends, influence people, and leave them feeling better for having met you by being more empathetic, generous, and kind. Eroding social conventions, technology, and rapid economic change are making human beings more stressed and socially awkward and isolated than ever. We live in our own bubbles, reluctant to connect, and feeling increasingly powerless, insecure, and apprehensive when communicating with others. A pioneer in the field of social engineering and a master hacker, Christopher Hadnagy specializes in understanding how malicious attackers exploit principles of human communication to access information and resources through manipulation and deceit. Now, he shows you how to use social engineering as a force for good—to help you regain your confidence and control. Human Hacking provides tools that will help you establish rapport with strangers, use body language and verbal cues to your advantage, steer conversations and influence other’s decisions, and protect yourself from manipulators. Ultimately, you’ll become far more self-aware about how you’re presenting yourself—and able to use it to improve your life. Hadnagy includes lessons and interactive “missions”—exercises spread throughout the book to help you learn the skills, practice them, and master them. With Human Hacking, you’ll soon be winning friends, influencing people, and achieving your goals.

Securing the Cloud
Securing the Cloud

Author: Vic (J.R.) Winkler

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2011-04-21

Total Pages: 315

ISBN-13: 159749593X

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Securing the Cloud is the first book that helps you secure your information while taking part in the time and cost savings of cloud computing. As companies turn to burgeoning cloud computing technology to streamline and save money, security is a fundamental concern. The cloud offers flexibility, adaptability, scalability, and in the case of security - resilience. Securing the Cloud explains how to make the move to the cloud, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of securing a company's information with different cloud approaches. It offers a clear and concise framework to secure a business' assets while making the most of this new technology.This book considers alternate approaches for securing a piece of the cloud, such as private vs. public clouds, SaaS vs. IaaS, and loss of control and lack of trust. It discusses the cloud's impact on security roles, highlighting security as a service, data backup, and disaster recovery. It also describes the benefits of moving to the cloud - solving for limited availability of space, power, and storage.This book will appeal to network and security IT staff and management responsible for design, implementation and management of IT structures from admins to CSOs, CTOs, CIOs and CISOs. - Named The 2011 Best Identity Management Book by InfoSec Reviews - Provides a sturdy and stable framework to secure your piece of the cloud, considering alternate approaches such as private vs. public clouds, SaaS vs. IaaS, and loss of control and lack of trust - Discusses the cloud's impact on security roles, highlighting security as a service, data backup, and disaster recovery - Details the benefits of moving to the cloud-solving for limited availability of space, power, and storage

Social Engineering
Social Engineering

Author: Robert W. Gehl

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2022-03-08

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 0262368935

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Manipulative communication—from early twentieth-century propaganda to today’s online con artistry—examined through the lens of social engineering. The United States is awash in manipulated information about everything from election results to the effectiveness of medical treatments. Corporate social media is an especially good channel for manipulative communication, with Facebook a particularly willing vehicle for it. In Social Engineering, Robert Gehl and Sean Lawson show that online misinformation has its roots in earlier techniques: mass social engineering of the early twentieth century and interpersonal hacker social engineering of the 1970s, converging today into what they call “masspersonal social engineering.” As Gehl and Lawson trace contemporary manipulative communication back to earlier forms of social engineering, possibilities for amelioration become clearer. The authors show how specific manipulative communication practices are a mixture of information gathering, deception, and truth-indifferent statements, all with the instrumental goal of getting people to take actions the social engineer wants them to. Yet the term “fake news,” they claim, reduces everything to a true/false binary that fails to encompass the complexity of manipulative communication or to map onto many of its practices. They pay special attention to concepts and terms used by hacker social engineers, including the hacker concept of “bullshitting,” which the authors describe as a truth-indifferent mix of deception, accuracy, and sociability. They conclude with recommendations for how society can undermine masspersonal social engineering and move toward healthier democratic deliberation.