Exploiting the Human Factor–how we hacked a General

Information security has always been a major concern for organizations, authorities and armed forces. A lot of emphasis is given to the implementation of technical security. As technology advances, attackers look for new ways of exploitation: Why waste time cracking through layers of security when you can trick someone to expand your privileges? Humans are the most vulnerable points in any kind of security system because of their predictable behaviour and psychological aspects. This presentation covers an example of social engineering, common attack vectors and highlights how a prominent general of the Swiss Armed Forces was compromised.