Summer Reading for Social Engineers

It's summer time... Which means warm weather, margaritas, and lazy summer afternoons.  To help fill in the gaps, here is a list of classic readings for every social engineer. Nonverbal Communication Everyone agrees that nonverbal communication plays a huge role in social engineering.  Here are some of the original texts that changed the field of nonverbal communication. Silent Messages By: Dr. Albert Mehrabian Chances are you've probably heard someone say something like "words are only … [Read more...]

Social Proof Explained

Social proof is one of the most powerful weapons of influence that Cialdini talks about in his book Influence: Science and Practice. This technique so powerful that everyone uses social proof, often without even realizing it. The idea behind social proof is that in ambiguous situations (especially social ones), we tend to look to others to determine what behavior is appropriate. By looking to someone else for guidance, we are essentially allowing their behaviors to influence ours. While … [Read more...]