Social Engineering Expert (Full-course) from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objectives

Students will learn about social engineering attack vectors well beyond just email phishing
Students will learn about the social engineering kill chain methodology
Students will be able to execute social engineering operations with precision, confidence and accuracy

Learn how to read a target's body language and micro expressions
Learn social engineering tactics directly from the founder & ceo of a cyber security consulting company with over 15 years social engineering experience
Students will learn how to efficiently conduct reconnaissance online

Students will learn about social engineering attack vectors well beyond just email phishing
Students will learn about the social engineering kill chain methodology
Students will be able to execute social engineering operations with precision, confidence and accuracy
Learn how to read a target's body language and micro expressions
Learn social engineering tactics directly from the founder & ceo of a cyber security consulting company with over 15 years social engineering experience
Students will learn how to efficiently conduct reconnaissance online

Syllabus

Welcome!

Welcome to Social Engineering Expert! In this lecture, I give an overview and we explore some of the benefits of adding social engineering skills to your resume.

I am the founder of one of the most prolific Physical Red Team firms, called RedTeam Security. A few years ago a team of journalists followed me and my team while we social engineered and physically infiltrated several power companies over the course of a week. At almost 10 million views later, this is the result. Enjoy.

To be sure we start off on the right foot, I cover some popular terms in Social Engineering.

In the Overview lecture, I provide some general guidance on the topic of social engineering, such as statistics in security breaches and how prolific it is in cybersecurity attacks.

Social engineering is not a byproduct of cyber or technology. It has been around for a long time and in this lecture, I give some examples of social engineering in practice over the years.

In this lecture, I focus on modern uses of social engineering, particularly its relation to cybersecurity, technology-related, and non-technology-related attacks.

What are attack vectors in social engineering? This may be a new term so what does it mean? In this lecture, I cover the many ways you could execute your social engineering campaign effectively.

In this lecture, I focus on one of the most common avenues for social engineering. Email phishing is just one of the many attack vectors, however.

Learn how and when you are being socially engineered from someone by phone. How could you conduct your own phone phishing campaign?

What is baiting? Discover some of the ways you could leverage baiting techniques in your own social engineering campaign.

One of the most low-tech, yet effective social engineering vectors. Yes, it still happens but how can you improve your tailgating techniques?

Social engineering your target face to face. Develop the skills to effectively persuade your target through physical pretexting.

In this lecture, I outline three (3) must-have steps to plan out your social engineering project.

Social engineers must have a well-thought-out process and in this lecture, I show some of the phases you should follow in each engagement.

To get things started on the right foot, use the Client Interview Questions download to determine the right scope and threats relevant to the organization. Please refer to the downloadable materials section.

The Social Engineering Operational Plan will serve as a working document for planning a social engineering engagement. It contains the necessary information to communicate with your team and your client.

In this lecture, I cover very important points when carrying out a social engineering engagement.

One of my favorite things to do is share war stories. Check out one of my podcast episodes titled, Episode 3: WAR STORY - Will the real maintenance guy please stand up? After telling this social engineering story so many times, I decided to get help from a friend and try to tell it the right way. Enjoy!

The Authorization Letter (aka, Get Out of Jail Free Card), is necessary for each and every social engineering operation. The letter's purpose is to validate the social engineer is actually not a sketchy criminal, but a hired consultant.

Here is the template to use and modify for your own Social Engineering Operations. Please understand this is a general report structure with a minimal amount of sections.

In this lecture, I discuss several TTPs concerning information gathering using non-technical means. This includes gathering information during long-range and short-range surveillance and more.

In this lecture, I provide a curated list of equipment me and my team use during social engineering operations. It doesn't include every piece of equipment we own, but will definitely serve as a great place to get started. Happy hunting!

The template is a resource you may use to capture critical notes in the field when you may not have an electronic device nearby to record those important observations.

With Google Earth, Social Media, and certain hacker tools, I show you how to use technical means to gather intel on a facility or people for the purposes of information gathering.

In this lecture, I show you how to install technical tools designed to obtain intelligence using open-source means. Both Maltego and Metagoofil are excellent tools to get started.

Additional links to resources to help fortify your information gathering efforts.

Google Dorks is just a funny name for advanced Google searches (aka, queries). What's novel about these is that they are constructed in a way that leverages the power of Google's search database and query engine to find specific information that doesn't normally bubble up to the top of query results. By using advanced search parameters, we're able to look for juicy information that enables us to discover helpful or even sensitive information about our client (target) during our social engineering operation.

Elicitation is the practice of subtly extracting information from a target surreptitiously. In this lecture, I cover elicitation techniques and how to use them on your target.

Microexpressions can tell a lot about how your target is responding to your social engineering test. Learn how to detect these small indicators and how to try and masquerade your own.

Body language is a critical indicator of how a person feels at any given moment. In this lecture, I show you how to decipher how a target is feeling by reading their body language.

Congratulations!

Check out my security books available on Amazon.com and these additional resources to keep up your learning momentum!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides downloadable documents and templates that can be used in real-world social engineering campaigns, offering practical tools for immediate application

Explores attack vectors beyond email phishing, such as baiting, vishing, and pretexting, which broadens the understanding of social engineering techniques

Taught by the founder and former CEO of a cybersecurity firm specializing in social engineering, red teaming, and penetration testing, offering insights from practical experience

Includes a discussion of what to avoid in social engineering, which helps learners understand ethical considerations and potential pitfalls

Requires learners to conduct reconnaissance online, which may necessitate familiarity with search engines, social media platforms, and other online tools

Features a segment on Google Dorks, which are advanced Google search queries, and this may require learners to have some familiarity with search engine syntax

Reviews summary

Comprehensive social engineering expertise

According to learners, this course provides a comprehensive look into social engineering, extending far beyond basic phishing. Many highlight the value of learning from the instructor's real-world experience and practical war stories. Students appreciate the inclusion of the Social Engineering Kill Chain methodology and various attack vectors like Vishing and Physical Pretexting. The course offers downloadable templates and documents which are considered highly useful for practical application. Some reviews mention the coverage of psychology and non-verbal communication, though the depth here receives mixed feedback. Overall, it's seen as a strong foundation for understanding and executing social engineering operations, particularly for those new to or looking to formalize their approach.

Solid foundation, some wish for more advanced detail.

"This is a great foundational course for social engineering."

"I felt the course gave me a solid understanding to get started."

"Could use more in-depth coverage on specific psychology topics or advanced scenarios."

"While comprehensive, it feels like an introduction to many topics rather than deep dives."

Includes non-verbal communication and psychology.

"Understanding body language and microexpressions adds a crucial layer to the training."

"The psychology section helps understand the 'why' behind human vulnerabilities."

"Elicitation techniques taught were eye-opening."

"The segments on psychology and non-verbals were interesting, if perhaps a bit brief for such complex topics."

Covers many techniques beyond just phishing.

"This course goes way beyond email phishing, covering Vishing, Baiting, and Physical Pretexting."

"I learned about attack vectors I hadn't considered before, expanding my understanding."

"It's great that it emphasizes non-technical methods as much as technical ones."

Provides structured process and useful templates.

"The Social Engineering Kill Chain methodology provided a clear structure I was missing."

"The downloadable templates, like the Operational Plan and Auth Letter, are incredibly useful for putting theory into practice."

"I found the step-by-step process for planning engagements very helpful."

"The documents provided are essential tools for running real operations."

Learn from an instructor with practical expertise.

"The instructor's real-world experience makes the content highly relevant and engaging."

"Learning from Jeremiah's Red Team background is invaluable; his stories are great."

"I appreciate the practical insights from someone who has done this professionally for years."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Social Engineering Expert (Full-course) with these activities:

Review Psychology of Persuasion

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Reviewing the psychology of persuasion will provide a strong foundation for understanding how social engineering tactics work and how to defend against them.

Browse courses on Psychology of Persuasion

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Identify key principles of persuasion.
Research common cognitive biases.
Study real-world examples of persuasion.

Review 'The Psychology of Deception'

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Understanding the psychology of deception will enhance your ability to identify and defend against social engineering attacks.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Read the book and take detailed notes.
Identify the key indicators of deception.
Relate the concepts to social engineering scenarios.

Review 'Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the practical aspects of social engineering and its various techniques.

View Human Hacking on Amazon

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Read the book cover to cover.
Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
Reflect on how these techniques apply to real-world scenarios.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Practice Elicitation Techniques

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Practicing elicitation techniques will improve your ability to subtly extract information from targets without raising suspicion.

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Study different elicitation methods.
Role-play elicitation scenarios with a partner.
Analyze your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Simulate a Social Engineering Attack

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Simulating a social engineering attack will allow you to apply the concepts learned in the course and develop practical skills in planning and executing attacks.

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Define the target and objectives.
Gather information about the target.
Craft a pretext and choose an attack vector.
Execute the attack and document the results.

Create a Social Engineering Awareness Presentation

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Creating a presentation on social engineering awareness will help solidify your understanding of the topic and allow you to educate others on how to protect themselves.

Show steps

Research common social engineering tactics.
Design a presentation with clear and concise information.
Include real-world examples and case studies.
Practice delivering the presentation effectively.

Develop a Social Engineering Risk Assessment Template

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Creating a risk assessment template will provide a structured approach to identifying and mitigating social engineering vulnerabilities within an organization.

Show steps

Research common social engineering risks.
Design a template with relevant assessment criteria.
Test the template on a sample organization.
Refine the template based on feedback and results.

Career center

Learners who complete Social Engineering Expert (Full-course) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Red Team Operator

Red team operators conduct realistic, adversarial simulations to test an organization's security defenses. Social engineering is a core skill for red team operators, as it's often the easiest way to gain initial access to a target network or system. The Social Engineering Expert course helps red teamers develop advanced social engineering skills, including pretexting, vishing, and elicitation. The course covers kill chain methodology allowing a red team operator to plan a successful social engineering campaign. The course also provides templates and resources that can be used in real-world red team engagements. The course emphasizes the use of non-technical means of information gathering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Red Team Operator

Penetration Tester

Penetration testers simulate cyberattacks to identify weaknesses in an organization's systems and networks. This Social Engineering Expert course provides a focused approach to understanding and executing social engineering attacks, a critical component of many penetration tests. The course's coverage of attack vectors, kill chain methodology, and information gathering techniques provide a strong foundation for designing and executing realistic social engineering scenarios. Furthermore, the course material helps one avoid common mistakes. Learning to read body language and micro-expressions helps a penetration tester improve their success rate when attempting to manipulate individuals within the target organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Ethical Hacker

Ethical hackers are security professionals who use their hacking skills to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks, with the goal of improving security. As social engineering is a common tactic employed by malicious actors, the Social Engineering Expert course provides ethical hackers with valuable knowledge on how to simulate and defend against such attacks. The course's coverage of attack vectors, kill chain methodology, and information gathering techniques equips ethical hackers with the tools to conduct realistic social engineering assessments. The course's insights can help to improve the overall security posture of an organization.

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Security Consultant

A security consultant helps organizations identify vulnerabilities and implement security measures to protect their assets. This Social Engineering Expert course is directly relevant, as social engineering is a significant attack vector that consultants must understand and address. The course dives into social engineering kill chain methodology, attack vectors like baiting and vishing, and techniques for conducting reconnaissance online, all of which help a Security Consultant provide comprehensive security assessments and recommendations. Understanding non-verbal communication also helps when interacting with clients and assessing their security awareness. This course teaches you the mindset and TTPs that attackers may use.

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Physical Security Specialist

Physical security specialists are responsible for protecting physical assets, such as buildings, equipment, and data centers. The Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how social engineering tactics can be used to bypass physical security controls, such as tailgating and pretexting. By understanding these tactics, physical security specialists can develop more effective security measures and train employees to be more aware of potential threats. The course, taught by a CEO of a firm specializing in physical red teaming, is exceptionally useful in showing how to strengthen physical barriers.

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Cybersecurity Awareness Trainer

Cybersecurity awareness trainers educate employees about security threats and best practices. This Social Engineering Expert course provides valuable insights into the types of attacks employees are likely to face, enabling trainers to develop more effective training programs. The course's coverage of social engineering tactics, such as phishing and pretexting, helps trainers illustrate the importance of vigilance and skepticism. By understanding the psychology behind social engineering, trainers can better explain how attackers manipulate human behavior. This Social Engineering Expert course is taught by the CEO of a security firm.

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Private Investigator

Private investigators are hired by individuals or organizations to gather information on a variety of matters, such as infidelity, fraud, or missing persons. The Social Engineering Expert course helps private investigators develop skills in elicitation, pretexting, and information gathering. The course's coverage of elicitation techniques assists investigators in extracting information without raising suspicion. The focus on non-verbal communication helps private investigators gather information via traditional means. This course may serve as a foundation for a private investigator.

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Intelligence Analyst

Intelligence analysts gather and analyze information to identify threats and provide insights to decision-makers. The Social Engineering Expert course teaches techniques for gathering information through open-source intelligence (OSINT) and social media reconnaissance which are valuable skills for intelligence analysts. The course's discussion of elicitation techniques helps analysts extract information from sources without raising suspicion. Understanding the psychology behind social engineering can help analysts better assess the credibility of information and identify potential disinformation campaigns. The course may be useful as a means of understanding how campaigns are conducted.

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Corporate Investigator

Corporate investigators conduct internal investigations into allegations of wrongdoing, such as fraud, theft, or harassment. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how individuals manipulate others and gain access to sensitive information. The course's coverage of pretexting and elicitation techniques helps investigators gather information from employees and other sources. Learning to read body language and detect micro-expressions help investigators assess the credibility of witnesses. This course may be helpful as a means to understand how manipulation can occur within an organization.

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Fraud Investigator

Fraud investigators examine financial records and other evidence to uncover fraudulent activity. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how fraudsters manipulate individuals and organizations to gain access to valuable information or assets. The course's coverage of social engineering tactics, such as pretexting and elicitation, helps investigators understand the methods used by fraudsters. Learning to read body language and detect micro-expressions helps investigators assess the credibility of witnesses and suspects. This course may prove useful in helping one to understanding the psychology that fraud operators may deploy.

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Background Investigator

Background investigators conduct checks on individuals to verify their background and qualifications. The Social Engineering Expert course teaches techniques for information gathering using non-technical means. The course shows you how to gather information during long-range and short-range surveillance. This builds a foundation for anyone wishing to conduct background checks. The coverage of elicitation techniques helps investigators extract information from sources covertly. The course may be useful in helping conduct background checks more effectively.

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Loss Prevention Manager

Loss prevention managers work to prevent theft and other losses in retail or other businesses. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how social engineering tactics can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in security systems and procedures. Understanding these tactics can help loss prevention managers design more effective security measures and train employees to be more aware of potential threats. Learning to read body language and detect micro-expressions may help loss prevention managers identify suspicious behavior. This may be helpful in understanding the psychology of theft.

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Risk Manager

Risk managers identify and assess potential risks to an organization, and develop strategies to mitigate those risks. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into the risks posed by social engineering attacks, which can lead to data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage. The course's coverage of attack vectors and kill chain methodology helps risk managers understand the potential impact of social engineering attacks on their organizations. This may be useful in understanding the risk vectors of an organization.

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Human Resources Specialist

Human resources specialists are responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing employees. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how social engineering tactics can be used to manipulate employees, potentially leading to security breaches or other negative outcomes. By understanding these tactics, HR specialists can develop policies and training programs to mitigate the risk of social engineering attacks within their organization. The course's coverage of micro-expressions and body language may help HR specialists during the interview process. This may be useful to understand how employees may be vulnerable to attack.

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Compliance Officer

Compliance officers ensure that organizations adhere to laws, regulations, and internal policies. This Social Engineering Expert course provides insights into how social engineering tactics can be used to circumvent compliance controls and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. By understanding these tactics, compliance officers can develop more effective policies and procedures to mitigate the risk of social engineering attacks. The course helps individuals understand and implement security measures. This course is excellent at showing tactics that can lead to compliance failure.

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Social Engineering Expert (Full-course)

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive social engineering expertise

Activities

Career center

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