Social engineering

[dpwes]

Do top hackers still use social engineering? I mean, in today's high tech world, is social engineering any use? Isn't it easier to fool a computer nowadays than bother with a risky phone call to get the info? Are the Susan Thunders of this world destined for the scrap heap? Any views on this guys?

[DjM]

I still use social engineering a lot and I can still get some good information using this tactic. You may also be interested in the attached article.

http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1527

[jared_c]

Social engineering isn't hacking... It's lying and manipulation.

I'm sure people still use it. It's a sad sad world.

[casper3699]

Social Engineering still works. Only on certain people though. If the user is dumb enough or naive enough then it will work. But if you are the netwrok admin you should warn your clients to never fall for it.

I used it once when i created a fake FTP program and wanted to see if a friend could show me how to log into his linux web server. I just replaced windows origional FTP and put my own and asked him to show me how to use it. Then replaced the origional back and took over his server. That was back when i was a little malious a few years ago but now i have changed.

[souleman]

social engineering still works quite well. If you know how to do it properly. Most people are still pretty naieve when it comes to security, so you can still get a lot of info out of them.

[Stronzo]

Look at the 'I love you virus'. That's social engineering on a massive scale that definately worked.

[freeOn]

Yeah I still use it. I learned from my dead beat dad how to lie and manipulate people. There really is no benifit except that it trained me to be able to lie to people's faces and not get caught. I'm to confident and live my a strick rule now, don't do it unless your about to die and it's your only way out.

But it does help when manipulating to get passwords or talking to my teachers.lol

[Terr]

I think "Social Engineering" *is* basically a kind of scam or a process to do something against the rules through lying. Actually, "Social Engineering" is a subset of manipulation. Specifically, I think of it as manipulation in regards to computers and in regards to a corporate environment. (Don't ask me where I got that impression, I just have it.)

It will never go away as long as people are able to lie. Which is why I like genetic research.