Anyone know any good introductions to the concept of social engineering that I can give to helpdesk workers to help them spot suspicious activity? I'm looking for a few examples and a few tips on how to avoid being caught out.
3 Answers
Here are some listed examples: http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/social-engineering-fundamentals-part-i-hacker-tactics ... but I think your primary defense is basic education and common sense. Test for a rudimentary ability to detect soceng during the hiring process.
Yeah, tell them not to give out information to people they don't know and can't verify the identity of.
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I was kind of hoping for links to articles and stuff, not just random small tips.– rjmunroOct 22, 2010 at 16:28
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1@rjmunro - Honestly, it all comes down to exactly what joeqwerty said. One could get all verbose and talk about the inticracies of social engineering attacks, but when you boil it down, you end up with the ability to employ common sense.– EEAAOct 23, 2010 at 0:19
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@ErikA: One example story from the Kevin Mitnick book (mentioned in another answer) is a hundred times better than any amount of just telling people not to give out information.– rjmunroOct 23, 2010 at 23:58