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Define Social Engineering Meaning

Social Engineering
The attempt to control social behavior.

The Canadian government wants to create a passified country through social engineering.
By Natalee
Social Engineering
1. The use of communication skills and quick wits in order to turn a scenario into a favorable situation

2. A practice used by crackers and black hats in order to gain sensitive information needed in order to compromise security by using techniques such as eavesdropping on conversations or posing as tech support

1. You are at a fancy restaurant and have just finished eating. The waiter comes to take your plate, but as he picks it up, you use slight of hand and manuevering to make it appear as if the waiter has dropped the plate (and the food residue on it) all over your shirt. You complain angrily, call for the manager, et al. The manager winds up giving you the meal for free.

2. You, as a black hat, walk up to a smoke break outside of a company who you want to steal credit card numbers for. Employees are whining about their randomized passwords. You memorize one of them, and then go off with that information in order to gain access into the company firewall.
By Lucky
Social Engineering
Social Engineering is used primarily in the cracking world. These previous defintions talking about free drinks etc IS NOT social engineering. That is a con or scam. Social Engineering is a art form. It is the ability to gain peoples trust and using that information for your own nefarious purposes. Social Engineering can range from the most mundane to elaborate ruses. It can be someone asking a another person for their password or it can be someone pretending to be a a employee of a trusted company to get access to something. Keep in mind the ultimate goal is to get access to something. People are not stupid which is why social engineering came about. A usual direct question to someone for a password or login is going to give you a no answer. However when applying social engineering you would be calling or speaking to this person under the premise that you work for the helpdesk or the telephone co. You temporarily befriend this person get their guard down then get the information you need. Kevin Mitnick was a master of Social of Engineering.


I was able to use Social Engineering with Joe by pretending to work for the Phone Company. I called him and was able to get the employee login list.

I made a fake badge for a tech firm and was able to social engineer my way into the datacenter where I got access to some servers where I was able to install a backdoor.

By Vivie
Social Engineering
The art of hacking people rather than computers. Most of the time it's easier than hacking computers because people are so stupid that you can just ask them for passwords and credit card information and they'll give it to you!

Me: Hello, Mr. Adamson? Yes, I need your credit card number, email address and password.

Mr. A: Ok, the number is 4318-6413...
By Angelique
Social Engineering
the act of finding a flaw in a daily system and exploiting it to get what you want for free

getting a free refill at a fast food restraunt by drinking half of your drink then spilling it. getting a free refill
By Austine
Social Engineering
Ferris Bueller - PERIOD!

restaurant,...
parade,...
school.
By Ardelia
Social Engineer
a master of the human psyche who may, at a moments notice, bend the will of another human to fit his own, a hacker of the human mind.

"social engineers bend human will"
By Lira
Social Engineer
a master of the human psyche who may use this to con people.

Hackers use social engineering to gain access into high security buildings.
By Quintina
Social Engineer
an individual who has surpassed the art of hacking,a person who has innate abilities to engineer others socially

I thought hackers were a problem until I learnt first hand that a Social Engineer can do far worse damage,That person was so good at being a Social Engineer i didn't see it coming
By Pamela
Social Engineering
The process which interested parties utilize governing functions to steer the course of the human condition.

The religious sects are blocking gay marriage through the federal government to penalize homosexuals. Marriage is being used as a Social Engineering tool to create a heterosexual society.

Teachers and Professors are largely liberal, Socially Engineering the thought process of young individuals through schools which are the governing function related to training the youth.

Today's inner city slums are largely the work of zoning laws passed by segregationists working at the local and state government level. Those institutions were used to socially engineer neighborhoods in a clean and comfortable environment for one group of individuals and a living space zoned alongside industrial centers and other hazards for another group of individuals.
By Moreen