This is how hackers hack you using simple social engineering

oracle mind

1 May 201602:30

Summary

TLDRIn a daring social experiment, the narrator invites elite hackers to expose their security flaws at DEF CON, the world's largest hacker convention. Demonstrating the power of social engineering, one hacker, posing as the narrator's wife, successfully manipulates a phone provider's customer service to gain access to the narrator's personal email and change the account password, all within a phone call. This highlights the vulnerability of personal information and the importance of robust security measures.

Takeaways

😲 The speaker invited hackers to identify their vulnerabilities.
🌐 The meeting takes place at DEF CON, the largest hacker convention.
💡 Social engineering is highlighted as a hacking technique that doesn't require coding.
📞 Phishing is described as a method of extracting information over the phone.
👶 A simulated scenario involves calling a cell phone provider under the guise of a distressed customer.
🔑 The hacker, posing as the speaker's wife, successfully gains access to the speaker's email address.
🆘 The hacker uses a ruse involving a crying baby and a need to access the account for a loan application.
📱 The cell phone provider's representative is convinced to provide personal information without verification.
🚫 The hacker then locks the speaker out of their own account by changing the password.
📝 The script serves as a cautionary tale about the ease with which social engineering can compromise personal security.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of inviting hackers to hack the narrator?
-The main purpose is to identify vulnerabilities in the narrator's security through the expertise of skilled hackers.
Where is the meeting with the hackers taking place?
-The meeting is taking place in Las Vegas during DEF CON, the biggest hacker convention of the year.
What method of hacking does the script mention that does not involve coding?
-The script mentions social engineering as a method of hacking that does not involve coding.
What is phishing as described in the script?
-Phishing, as described in the script, is voice solicitation where information or data points are extracted using the phone for potential use in a later attack.
Who does the hacker pretend to be when calling the cell phone provider?
-The hacker pretends to be the narrator's wife, using a crying baby in the background to create a sense of urgency.
What personal information does the hacker attempt to obtain from the cell phone provider?
-The hacker attempts to obtain the narrator's email address associated with their cell phone account.
How does the hacker convince the cell phone provider's representative to help her?
-The hacker convinces the representative by creating a sense of urgency and distress, pretending to be the narrator's wife who needs access to the account for a loan application.
What security measure does the cell phone provider initially have in place to protect account access?
-The cell phone provider requires a secure pin to be sent via text message for account access.
How does the hacker circumvent the security measure of receiving a secure pin via text message?
-The hacker claims she cannot receive a text message while on the phone and uses a fake social security number to set up her own personal access to the account.
What is the final outcome of the hacker's interaction with the cell phone provider?
-The hacker successfully gains access to the narrator's cell phone account and changes the password, effectively locking the narrator out.
What lesson does the script imply about the importance of security measures?
-The script implies that even simple social engineering tactics can be effective in bypassing security measures, emphasizing the need for robust and multi-layered security protocols.

Outlines

00:00

🔒 Social Engineering and Phishing Attempt

The paragraph describes an experiment where the narrator invites skilled hackers to exploit their security vulnerabilities. The setting is Def Con, a major hacker convention in Las Vegas. The hackers use social engineering techniques, specifically phishing, to gain unauthorized access to personal information. A demonstration is given where a hacker pretends to be the narrator's wife, contacting the narrator's cell phone provider under the guise of needing to update account information for a loan application. By using a fabricated story involving a crying baby and a sense of urgency, the hacker successfully convinces the customer service representative to reveal the narrator's email address and even change the account password, effectively locking the narrator out of their own account. This illustrates the power of social engineering and the importance of being vigilant against such tactics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Hackers

Hackers are individuals who use their knowledge of computer systems and networks to gain unauthorized access to data or to breach security for various purposes. In the video, the speaker invites hackers to identify their vulnerabilities, highlighting the importance of understanding potential security threats.

💡Def Con

Def Con is one of the world's largest and most famous hacker conventions, held annually in Las Vegas. It is a gathering place for hackers, security researchers, and technology enthusiasts to share knowledge, learn new skills, and participate in various competitions. The video mentions meeting hackers at Def Con, emphasizing the significance of the event in the hacking community.

💡Social Engineering

Social engineering is the practice of manipulating people to reveal confidential information or perform actions that can compromise their systems or data. In the script, it is described as 'hacking without any code,' where the hacker uses a phone and an internet connection to trick people into divulging sensitive information.

💡Phishing

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack where an attacker uses deceptive emails or messages to trick users into revealing sensitive information or to download malicious software. The term is derived from 'fishing' as the attacker 'catches' victims by baiting them with fake emails or websites. In the video, the speaker discusses the concept of phishing as a method to extract information.

💡Vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities refer to weaknesses in a system, application, or network that can be exploited by attackers. In the context of the video, the speaker is seeking to identify their own vulnerabilities to better protect against potential hacking attempts.

💡Cell Phone Provider

A cell phone provider is a company that offers mobile telecommunications services, such as voice calls, text messaging, and internet access. In the script, the speaker's personal information is targeted through a call to their cell phone provider, illustrating how such services can be exploited in social engineering attacks.

💡Email Address

An email address is a unique identifier used to send and receive emails over the internet. In the video, the hacker attempts to obtain the speaker's email address as part of a phishing attack, demonstrating how personal information can be used to launch further attacks.

💡Secure PIN

A secure PIN (Personal Identification Number) is a secret numeric code used to authenticate a user's identity for security purposes. In the script, the hacker tricks the support person into sending a secure PIN via text, which would typically be a breach of security protocol, highlighting the importance of secure communication channels.

💡Password

A password is a secret word or phrase used to authenticate a user's identity and grant access to a system or service. The video script includes a scenario where the hacker changes the speaker's password, effectively locking them out of their own account, underscoring the critical nature of password security.

💡Account Access

Account access refers to the ability to log in and use a specific service or system. In the video, the hacker gains unauthorized account access by manipulating the support person, which is a common goal of social engineering attacks to gain control over a user's data or services.

💡Crying Baby

The 'crying baby' in the script is a tactic used by the hacker to create a sense of urgency and empathy, which can lower the target's guard and make them more susceptible to manipulation. This example illustrates how social engineering exploits human emotions to achieve its goals.

Highlights

Invitation to world's best hackers to identify vulnerabilities.

Meeting at DEF CON, the biggest hacker convention.

Introduction to social engineering as hacking without code.

Description of phishing as voice solicitation.

Plan to call the cell phone provider to extract information.

Use of social engineering to obtain personal email address.

Success in gaining access to personal email in under 30 seconds.

The use of a crying baby as a distraction in the social engineering attempt.

Manipulation of customer service to change account password.

The effectiveness of social engineering in bypassing security measures.

The ease with which an account can be compromised through social engineering.

The importance of securing personal accounts against social engineering attacks.

The demonstration of how quickly and easily personal information can be obtained.

The role of human interaction in facilitating social engineering attacks.

The need for better training for customer service representatives to recognize social engineering.

The potential for social engineering to lead to more significant security breaches.

The demonstration of the power of social engineering in a real-world scenario.