[Day 3] 3. Social Presence and Its Role in Social Engineering

Hackers can extract a significant amount of information from a person's social presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter. This information is often used to plan and execute social engineering attacks.

Types of Information Hackers Look For

1. Birthdate

   • Can be used to guess passwords, security questions, or for identity theft.

2. Locations

   • Knowing where you live or frequently visit helps attackers craft location-based scams.

3. Hobbies

   • Can be used to create personalized phishing messages or fake offers (e.g., discounts on a favorite activity).

4. Friends and Family

   • Attackers may impersonate close contacts to gain your trust.

5. Education

   • Information about schools, colleges, or training helps attackers tailor their approach (e.g., fake alumni messages).

6. Likes and Dislikes

   • These preferences can be exploited to send targeted phishing messages or advertisements.

Tactics Used by Hackers

• They often combine details from multiple social platforms of the same individual to build a more complete profile and increase the success rate of their attacks.

Tip: Be cautious about the personal information you share online!