Comments on: Why is social engineering so easy? http://ilikeellipses.com/2008/02/15/why-is-social-engineering-so-easy/ the blog for developers who care about more than just code... Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:11:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: mike hall http://ilikeellipses.com/2008/02/15/why-is-social-engineering-so-easy/#comment-1254 mike hall Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:07:23 +0000 http://ilikeellipses.com/2008/02/15/why-is-social-engineering-so-easy/#comment-1254 Yeah, but there's a definite difference between believing what a friend says in a regular conversation and you as security personal giving someone complete access to your building. What gets me is the stark contrast of how people are so trusting in some situations and how people report someone for just looking different in other situations. Yeah, but there’s a definite difference between believing what a friend says in a regular conversation and you as security personal giving someone complete access to your building. What gets me is the stark contrast of how people are so trusting in some situations and how people report someone for just looking different in other situations.

]]> By: Aaron Lerch http://ilikeellipses.com/2008/02/15/why-is-social-engineering-so-easy/#comment-1253 Aaron Lerch Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:13:37 +0000 http://ilikeellipses.com/2008/02/15/why-is-social-engineering-so-easy/#comment-1253 I think it's easy because a) we're trying to be "nice", and b) we operate under stereotype and bias assumptions. If someone "looks right", they "are right". Think about that from a societal perspective - it's a huge factor. Heck, at lunch yesterday I made some crazy statement about herbs (don't ask :) ) and everybody believed me instantly because I said it with an air of confidence. I looked like I knew what I was talking about, so everybody believed me, but the reality is that I knew squat. Small example, but it illustrates the point well I think. I think it’s easy because a) we’re trying to be “nice”, and b) we operate under stereotype and bias assumptions. If someone “looks right”, they “are right”. Think about that from a societal perspective - it’s a huge factor.

Heck, at lunch yesterday I made some crazy statement about herbs (don’t ask :) ) and everybody believed me instantly because I said it with an air of confidence. I looked like I knew what I was talking about, so everybody believed me, but the reality is that I knew squat.
Small example, but it illustrates the point well I think.

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