Influence Tactics in Everyday Life: Collections

Social engineering and collections may seem like two vastly different professions. However, they share many similarities when it comes to using influence tactics to achieve their respective goals. Before my work as a Human Risk Analyst for Social-Engineer, I had previously worked in this field of collections. This involved talking to people on the phone and collecting past due payments on retail…

Ep. 199 – Security Awareness Series – Bitcoin and SIM Swap with Haseeb Awan

Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Ryan and I are joined by Haseeb Awan. Haseeb is the CEO & Founder of Efani Secure Mobile, a company that works with ultra-high-net-worth individuals on their Mobile Security. Previously, he co-founded one of the largest Bitcoin ATM networks. He has been featured on NYT, TechCrunch, Wall Street Journal, Hulu, and several…

Understanding Threat Actors

A threat actor or “malicious actor” is defined as either a person or a group of people that take part in an action that is intended to cause harm in the cyber realm. They engage in cyber related offenses to exploit open vulnerabilities in many different manners. Their targets can be individuals, or even large corporations. According to the 2022 DBI Report, 82% of data breaches involved the…

The Deadly Risk of Cyber Attacks on Hospitals

During a routine visit to the doctor, he asked what I did for a living. I explained that my work consists of helping companies to detect information security vulnerabilities. We then help them to test and train their employees to make the necessary corrections. My doctor listened attentively and said: “Thank you for the work that you do.” I did not expect that response. He went on to say that in…

QR Codes and CAPTCHA Tests: New Scams in a Digital Age

When you think about a scam, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think about receiving a poorly drafted email saying “You Just Won $500! Click HERE NOW!”. Maybe you think about a sketchy salesperson approaching you about a timeshare in Hawaii that seems way too good to be true. When we think about scams like these, it can be easy to say to ourselves: “I could never fall for something like that!”.…

The Visher and the Magician

As a child, I was obsessed with card tricks, sleight of hand, you name it. I enjoyed watching street magicians and how they could captivate an audience; how they could fool someone right under their noses with the simplest of gimmicks, yet leaving their spectator with only the imagination to figure out how they pulled it off. You could tell they had been doing this their entire life. I would…