Sheesh, how did it get to be September?
No matter; here we are, at that liminal moment when academic stuff cranks up again, kids groan about going back to school, and the last quarter of the year comes into view.
To accompany you on the ride that is September, here is a book and a podcast/videocast.
The Art of Deception:
Controlling the Human Element of Security
by Kevin Mitnick
John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2003
Kevin Mitnick died last month. He was a legendary figure in the world of hacking. A true trailblazer and innovator, Mitnick invented techniques unheard of (at least until the 1980s) such as IP Spoofing. His exploits sent the FBI into a frenzy, and created in the collective imagination the figure of the young hacker who, from the purview of his tiny bedroom, busts into computers and sites deemed unhackable (à la the 1983 movie “Wargames”).
After being caught in 1995 and serving a five-year prison sentence, Mitnick became a security consultant. In The Art of Deception he collected a wealth of hacking stories. The result is a handbook for securing businesses and public institutions—a captivating, scary read.
Mitnick examines the tools he himself used to bypass even “impregnable” corporate and governmental security systems. How did he do it? If you’re thinking of obscure lines of code or futuristic devices, you couldn’t be more wrong. The most important tool is mere words. And those who want your information are well aware of this. Yes, we’re talking about social engineering.
Social engineering, according to Mitnick, “uses influence and persuasion to deceive people by convincing them that the social engineer is someone they are not, or by manipulation. As a result, the social engineer is able to take advantage of people to obtain information with or without the use of technology.”
There are many types of social-engineering threats, Mitnick tells us, and not all of them involve computers: we have everything from eavesdropping to impersonation, from shoulder surfing to dumpster diving, from phishing and baiting to piggybackingand vishing.
But fear not: The Art of Deception is a veritable vademecum of cybersecurity, and it will teach you how to protect yourself from the most ordinary and common—thus most dangerous—social-engineering threats. You’ll also realize that the key problem with any security system is… the human factor. People are the weak link in the seemingly solid chain that protects our valuable information.
For more by the same author, I recommend Ghost in the Wires. For more on social engineering, I suggest the fascinating Breaking and Entering, about the vicissitudes and exploits of the hacker infamously known as Alien.
“Say Your Word”
Elif Shafak
Words are the bridge that connects us to others, the common code for transmitting knowledge, for saying who we are, what we think, and most importantly, how we feel. With words, we can create or distort reality.
Elif Shafak is a Turkish writer who has a channel on YouTube called “Say Your Word,” dedicated to telling the story of words. Known for her beautiful storytelling, she explores the nuances and complexities of words that signify the greatest meaning to us. Through her videos, Shafak dives into the origins, meanings, and cultural contexts of terms such as “melancholy” and “shame,” “honor,” “woke,” and “bitch.” Her passion for language and her ability to weave compelling narratives make her an engaging, thought-provoking storyteller.
At this point, you’re probably asking yourself the following (legitimate) question: What can business writers gain by listening to this podcast?
Well, in an era of fast-and-furious communication through digital channels, we sometimes need to be reminded of the importance of nuance and context in language. And that’s exactly what Shafrak addresses: nuance as the critical factor in effective, respectful dialogue. “Say Your Word” will pique your curiosity and spark conversations about language, culture, and identity.