Re: Penetration Testing - Human Factor

["K K Mookhey" <kkmookhey () gmail com>]

Isn't it also about the fact that people are very hesitant to report
incidents where they've been taken for a ride, and more willing to admit
technical goof ups such as not applying a patch?

We've offered clients social engineering attacks as part of pen-tests,
and have found takers for these too. Having said that, I think
targeted financial fraud leveraging computer systems usually happens
with a very strong component of social engineering, whereas regular
hacking (with possible financial results) is usually almost purely
technical.

Just my 2c.

KK


> On 8/23/06, Joey Peloquin <joeyp () cotse net> wrote:
> >  KeenerPB () mcnosc usmc mil wrote:
> > > I would disagree with Arian regarding the technical aspects of "true"
> > > hacking...in my experience, social engineering plays a huge role in
> > > successful compromise of a network. Most of the time the boundaries are
> > > pretty tight so you have to lob one over the fence (social engineering) in
> > > order to punch out from the inside to defeat the boundary devices.
> >
> > All due respect, I'm both an Enterprise pen-test customer and an internal
> > pen-tester at the same company, and I don't see social engineering on the
> > radar at all, save a mention as part of our security awareness program.
> >
> > How many enterprises do you all contract with that *actually* include social
> > engineering, and the like, in the scope?  We've paid as much as 40K for an
> > engagement and it didn't include social engineering.
> >
> > -jp
> >
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