Hacking the human : social engineering techniques and security countermeasures

cover image

Where to find it

Information & Library Science Library

Call Number
HM668 .M36 2008
Status
Available

Authors, etc.

Names:

Summary

Information security is about people, yet in most organizations protection remains focused on technical countermeasures. The human element is crucial in the majority of successful attacks on systems and attackers are rarely required to find technical vulnerabilities, hacking the human is usually sufficient.Ian Mann turns the black art of social engineering into an information security risk that can be understood, measured and managed effectively. The text highlights the main sources of risk from social engineering and draws on psychological models to explain the basis for human vulnerabilities. If you are responsible for physical or information security or the protection of your business and employees from significant risk, then Hacking the Human is a must-read.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Part One The Risks
  • What is social engineering?
  • Understanding your risks
  • People, your weakest link
  • Limitations to current security thinking
  • Part Two Understanding Human Vulnerabilities
  • Trust me
  • Reading a person
  • Subconscious mind
  • Parent, Adult, Child
  • Part Three Countermeasures
  • Vulnerability mapping
  • Protection systems
  • Awareness and Training
  • Testing
  • Index

Sample chapter

Ian Mann's Hacking the Human highlights the main sources of risk from social engineering and draws on psychological models to explain the basis for human vulnerabilities. Offering more than a simple checklist to follow, the book provides a rich mix of examples, applied research and practical solutions for security and IT professionals that enable you to create and develop a security solution that is most appropriate for your organization. Excerpted from Hacking the Human: Social Engineering Techniques and Security Countermeasures (Ebk) by Ian Mann All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Other details