How can you gather information and conduct reconnaissance like a social engineer?

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Social engineering is the art of manipulating people to reveal sensitive information or perform actions that benefit the attacker. It is one of the most common and effective methods of cyberattacks, as it exploits human weaknesses rather than technical vulnerabilities. To succeed, social engineers need to gather information and conduct reconnaissance on their targets, using various techniques and tools. In this article, you will learn how to think like a social engineer and how to protect yourself from their tricks.

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Domenique Hohmeier

Cyber and Strategic Risk @Deloitte | Government and Public Services | Real Estate Enthusiast
Sanket Kumar

Cyber Security CISSP || Project Management || Network Rollout
Shamir Rajadurai, Phd.

I Learn Crime from Criminals | CPTED | Crime Prevention Training | Cyber Crime | International Speaker & Consultant

1 Passive vs Active Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the process of collecting information about a target, such as an organization, a network, a system, or a person. There are two types of reconnaissance: passive and active. Passive reconnaissance involves observing and analyzing the target without directly interacting with it or generating any traffic. For example, a social engineer may use search engines, social media, public databases, or open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools to find out the target's name, address, phone number, email, job title, interests, hobbies, etc. Active reconnaissance involves probing and testing the target's defenses, such as sending emails, making phone calls, visiting websites, or scanning ports. For example, a social engineer may use phishing, vishing, or baiting techniques to trick the target into clicking a malicious link, opening an attachment, or revealing a password.

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Domenique Hohmeier

Cyber and Strategic Risk @Deloitte | Government and Public Services | Real Estate Enthusiast
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These two types of attacks differ in the following ways: ?? Active reconnaissance. The attacker engages with the target system to gather information about vulnerabilities. Attackers often use methods such as port scans to find out which ports are open and which services are running on them. ?? Passive reconnaissance. The attacker monitors the system for vulnerabilities without interacting, just to get information. Often the attacker monitors a user's web session and then uses the information gained from that session to carry out a future attack.

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Sanket Kumar

Cyber Security CISSP || Project Management || Network Rollout
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It has amaged me each and everytime the amount of information that is availaible about a subject on the web. A determined investigator with his non intrusive and passive action alone can dig a goldmine of information.

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Sai Adithya Thatipalli

Senior Security Engineer | | CrowdStrike EDR | Netskope DLP | Prisma Cloud | AWS
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Both methods have their own pros and cons. With each method we can gather critical information to accomplish the task. Based on the requirements of the task we can choose the level of recon we need to do

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2 OSINT Tools and Techniques

OSINT stands for open-source intelligence, which is the collection and analysis of publicly available information from various sources. OSINT tools and techniques can help social engineers find valuable information about their targets, such as online presence and personal details. Popular OSINT tools include Google Dorks, Shodan and Maltego. For example, Google Dorks can help narrow down search results to find specific information on Google, while Shodan can identify devices connected to the internet and reveal information about them. Maltego, on the other hand, is a graphical tool that can help visualize and analyze relationships between different entities. It can also use various transforms and APIs to gather and enrich data from different sources. Therefore, a social engineer may use these tools to map out their target's network infrastructure or online footprint.

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Domenique Hohmeier

Cyber and Strategic Risk @Deloitte | Government and Public Services | Real Estate Enthusiast
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Helpful tools are: ?? Maltego - Interactive data mining and link analysis ?? Recon-ng - Framework for web-based reconnaissance ?? theHarvester - entry-level tool for OSINT ?? Shodan: The OSINT search engine for IoT ?? NexVision: OSINT with AI functions for the dark web In addition to the tools I have presented in this article, the OSINT framework is also an important entry point for finding the right OSINT tools. The web-based tool can be used to find free tools that can be used to implement OSINT in the company.

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Sai Adithya Thatipalli

Senior Security Engineer | | CrowdStrike EDR | Netskope DLP | Prisma Cloud | AWS
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We have many opensource tools and many professionals are constantly contributing to the industry which can help many people to gather information without opting for paid tools. Many occasions, these tools can give you the information you need.

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3 Phishing, Vishing, and Baiting

Phishing, vishing, and baiting are active reconnaissance techniques that involve sending fraudulent messages or delivering malicious payloads to the target, with the intention of eliciting a response or action. These techniques rely on manipulating the target's emotions or cognitive biases to create a sense of urgency, curiosity, fear, or greed. Examples of such techniques are phishing, which involves sending emails that appear to come from a legitimate source but contain malicious links or attachments; vishing, which involves making phone calls that appear to come from a trusted authority but ask for personal or financial information; and baiting, which involves leaving physical or digital devices that contain malware or spyware in places where the target may find them. For instance, a social engineer may label a USB drive as "confidential" and drop it in the target's parking lot, hoping they will plug it into their computer and infect it. Reporting and documenting these incidents is essential for communicating the status, findings, and actions of the incident response team to stakeholders.

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Domenique Hohmeier

Cyber and Strategic Risk @Deloitte | Government and Public Services | Real Estate Enthusiast
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The best way to avoid becoming a victim of vishing is to ignore the messages. Telecom companies have fraud systems that display "fraud risk" (or similar) on the caller ID when a known abusive call comes in. However, you cannot rely on the telecom to intercept all malicious calls. However, users can take their own precautions to avoid becoming a victim. SIM swapping and social engineering make your number vulnerable to attackers. SIM swapping uses social engineering to trick a telecom employee into giving an attacker access to your phone number. If you receive a strange message about a multi-factor PIN or changes to your mobile account, always contact Deutsche Telekom to make sure you have not become a victim of SIM swapping and hijacking.

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Sai Adithya Thatipalli

Senior Security Engineer | | CrowdStrike EDR | Netskope DLP | Prisma Cloud | AWS
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Phishing, Vishing, Baiting these methods are used to target users into providing sensitive information. Sometimes the users may fall for the trap and provide sensitive information.

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4 Countermeasures and Best Practices

To protect yourself from social engineering attacks, you need to be aware of the signs and tactics used by social engineers, as well as follow countermeasures and best practices. Verify the identity and authenticity of any message or call that asks for personal or sensitive information, and do not click on links or open attachments that are unexpected or suspicious. Create strong and unique passwords for your accounts and devices, changing them regularly, and avoid writing them down or sharing them with anyone. Additionally, keep your devices and software updated and patched, using antivirus and firewall software to protect from malware. Avoid using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks to access sensitive information, encrypting your data and using VPNs to secure your online traffic. Educate yourself and colleagues on the latest social engineering threats and techniques, participating in security awareness training and simulations. If you are ever unsure or suspicious about something, do not hesitate to ask questions or seek help.

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Shamir Rajadurai, Phd.

I Learn Crime from Criminals | CPTED | Crime Prevention Training | Cyber Crime | International Speaker & Consultant
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To defend against social engineering reconnaissance, start with robust employee training on recognizing and reporting suspicious activities. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to secure access points. Regularly update and patch systems to reduce vulnerabilities. Implement strict access controls and monitor network traffic for unusual behavior. Encourage employees to verify identities before sharing sensitive information. Conduct regular security audits and phishing simulations to test and improve your defenses. Proactive measures and vigilance are key to thwarting social engineering attacks.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you gather information and conduct reconnaissance like a social engineer?

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1 Passive vs Active Reconnaissance

2 OSINT Tools and Techniques

3 Phishing, Vishing, and Baiting

4 Countermeasures and Best Practices

5 Here’s what else to consider

Security Awareness

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