My name is FC, and I'll be your instructor on this course on
Specialized Attacks: Physical and Social Engineering.
Social engineering and physical attacks are often misunderstood
and yet can be devastatingly easy to perform. In this course on
Physical and Social Engineering,
you will learn what they are and why it matters, the tricks and techniques that
are used along the way, and you will also gain an understanding of how these
styles of attack fall within the remit of the law,
especially for those performing those as part of a
security assessment against an organization.
Finally, with the use of case studies and onscreen quizzes,
you'll get a deeper understanding of these attacks.
You'll understand how to defend against them in the real world.
When you're finished with this course, you'll have the knowledge,
understanding, and even the skills to defend your organization
against criminals attempting these types of attacks.
I have been in cybersecurity for almost three decades with more
than half of those performing and pioneering physical attacks
against a wide range of clients.
Throughout those years, I have become known for breaking into banks.
These are often considered the hardest types of targets to infiltrate.
So in this course, we'll be focusing on this sector using photos I have taken
from real‑world clients, as well as other images to help you gain a better
understanding of the role of the social engineer.
But first, we need to understand what we mean by social engineering
and how does it differ from a physical attack.
Social engineering is the deceptive manipulation of people with the aim of
gaining access to information or to a physical space.
A physical attack is the circumvention of physical security systems,
and those attacks may also incorporate social engineering.
Before you start with any engagement, you need to obtain a few things.
Obviously, the very first thing you need to gain is
a contract with the engagement.
This is a legal contract between you and the client.
Without that, nothing else can happen.
And if you attempt anything against that client,
you will almost certainly be breaking the law.
Next, let's move on to the scope of the assessment.