In a world where computer systems are protected by layers of military-grade encryption, cybercriminals have realized that it is far simpler to ask for a key than to pick a lock. Welcome to the era of social engineering, where the vulnerability is not found in the code, but in the psychology of the person using it.
1. The Neurology of Fraud: Hacking “System 1”
Social engineering does not rely on a logical error, but on an emotional short-circuit. Drawing on the work of Daniel Kahneman, we understand that the attacker seeks to keep their victim in “System 1”: the mode of fast, instinctive, and emotional thinking.
– Urgency Bias: By creating a sense of urgency (e.g., “your account will be deleted in 10 minutes”), the hacker prevents the brain from switching to “System 2” (analytical thinking).
– The Obedience Reflex: By impersonating an authority figure (CEO, police, technical support), the attacker exploits our social conditioning to avoid questioning hierarchical orders.
2. OSINT: When Your Public Data Becomes a Weapon
Before launching an attack, the modern hacker carries out a reconnaissance phase known as OSINT (Open Source Intelligence). This is no longer random “spam”; it is a surgical strike.
By compiling your information on LinkedIn (your role, your colleagues), Instagram (your habits, your pet’s name), and corporate websites, the attacker creates a “pretext” (scenario) so credible that it becomes indistinguishable from reality. This is how Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks successfully divert millions of dollars by seamlessly inserting themselves into existing professional conversations.
3. AI and the Frontier of Reality: The Era of Deepfakes
The original article mentioned the 2020 Twitter hack via telephone (vishing). Today, Artificial Intelligence has multiplied this threat exponentially.
– Voice Deepfakes: With just 30 seconds of your voice recorded (from a YouTube conference or a podcast), an IA can clone your vocal timbre to call your accountant and order an urgent wire transfer.
– Generative AI: Gone are the spelling mistakes and awkward syntax that used to reveal phishing attempts. Tools like ChatGPT allow attackers to write perfect emails in any language, even adopting the specific tone of the targeted company.
4. The Vulnerability of Politeness: Physical Hacking
Security often stops where courtesy begins. “Tailgating” is the textbook example: an individual arrives at a company’s secure entrance with their arms full of pizza boxes. Out of pure politeness, an employee holds the door for them, granting total access to the internal network.
This “proximity social engineering” proves that badges and cameras are powerless against a social norm as deeply rooted as helpfulness. Bank audits show that this technique works in more than 70% of cases.
5. Shadow IT: The Trojan Horse of Productivity
Often, it is not malice that creates the breach, but the pursuit of efficiency. Shadow IT refers to the use by employees of software or personal servers not validated by the IT department.
The example of Hillary Clinton using a private server for state data perfectly illustrates this paradox: to gain flexibility, security is sacrificed. Once professional data passes through a personal Gmail or an unencrypted USB key, it escapes company control and becomes an easy target for social engineering.
6. The Password Domino Effect
Digital hygiene is the first line of defense against social engineering. The Disney+ case is a masterclass in this: thousands of accounts were compromised at launch, not through a flaw in the service, but through “Credential Stuffing.”
Users recycle their passwords from one site to another. A hacker recovers your credentials following a leak on a neglected small retail site, then uses those same identifiers to enter your professional accounts. The social engineer doesn’t even need to manipulate you anymore; they simply use the keys you left under the doormat of another site.
7. Toward a Culture of Resilience: The “Human Firewall”
How can we counter a threat that evolves faster than our software? The answer is threefold:
| Defense Pillar | Concrete Action | Benefit |
| Technical | FIDO2 Keys / Passkeys | Neutralizes phishing, even if the user is deceived. |
| Process | Out-of-band Verification | One transfer = one confirmation call to a known number. |
| Cultural | Right to Error | An employee who reports an error immediately saves the company. |
Conclusion: The Human as the Solution
Social engineering is a constant in human history; only the technology changes. To protect our organizations, we must stop seeing the user as the weak link and instead view them as the most sophisticated security sensor at our disposal. A trained, alert, and—above all—psychologically safe team is the best defense against the manipulators in the shadows.
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(enisa.europa.eu)
(proofpoint.com)
(fidoalliance.org)
(attack.mitre.org
(yubico.com)