Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking

Chapter 5. Mind Tricks: Psychological Principles Used in Social Engineering

It all depends on how we look at things, and not on how they are themselves.

——CARL GUSTAV GUNG

In Hollywood movies and television shows con men and law enforcement are portrayed with almost mystical talents. They have the ability to get away with anything; they seem to be able to just look into the eyes of a person and tell if they are lying or telling the truth. It is not uncommon to see situations like this: the cop looks into the eyes of his suspect and can automatically tell whether he is lying or telling the truth, or with just the power of suggestion the con man's targets are handing over their life's savings. Movies might have you believing that manipulation tactics and getting people to do anything you want is plausible or even easy. Are these scenarios really fiction? Is it possible to gain such abilities that are saved for fantasy in the movies?

This chapter could be a book unto itself, but I will condense this information down to principles that will truly change the way you interact with people. Some of the topics in this chapter are based on research done by the brightest minds in their respective fields. The techniques discussed in these topics were tested and put through the paces in social engineering environments. For example, the topic of microexpressions is based on the research of the world-renowned psychologist and researcher, Dr. Paul Ekman, who used his genius to develop techniques ...