There are new threats arising every day. The problem is there has been a vulnerability in the system that has not been patched since the first computer was created by Humans!
As the network perimeter hardens and the controls on the desktop tightens. Hackers are going back to the basics and getting through the firewall by going through the front door. They are bypassing the IPS and IDS simply by bypassing the receptionist.
We look at this topic with a different viewpoint. We look at the history of social engineering from Amenhotep 3 to Sinon of Greece as well as how the culture of the country you're in dictates the strategy to use. All this shown in an offbeat way showing how 1st century strategies can still be used to break into 21st century networks.
Jayson E. Street is an author of the book "Dissecting the hack: The F0rb1dd3n Network" from Syngress. His consultation with the FBI and Secret Service on attempted network breaches resulted in the capture and successful prosecution of the criminals involved. In 2007 he consulted with the Secret Service on the Wi-Fi security posture at the White House. He has also spoken at DEFCON, BRUCON, UCON and at several other 'CONs and colleges on a variety of Information Security subjects. He also was the co-founder and speaker of ExcaliburCon held in Wuxi China. He was an expert witness in two cases against the RIAA. He is on the SANS GIAC Advisory Board as well as a mentor for SANS. He is also a current member on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma "InfraGard". He is also Vice President for ISSA OKC. Jayson is also a longtime member of the Netragard "SNOsoft" research team. *He is a highly carbonated speaker who has partaken of Pizza from Beijing to Brazil. He does not expect anybody to still be reading this far but if they are please note he was chosen as one of Time's persons of the year for 2006. ;)