Hacking Humans | The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering Presentation Notes, (Arizona Security Practitioners Forum, University of Advancing Technology, 2007)

 

HACKING HUMANS | Social Engineering with Real-Life Methods, Models, and Theories

© 1994-2025 Hunter Storm

Social Engineering: Building a More Secure World Thru Innovative Use of the Truth

HACKING HUMANS: Social Engineering with Real-Life Methods, Models, and Theories

 

Introduction to the Dark Side

What is Social Engineering? Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) defines social engineering as: “1) the practice of obtaining confidential information by manipulating users. 2) the practice of using psychological manipulation tactics to help or harm others.” This is a good definition, but it’s only a start.

Many techies look down on Social Engineering, and consider it to be mere child’s play, low-level, script-kiddy mind tricks. In fact, SE is both the easiest and the most difficult hack, depending upon how you go about it.

Resources What is Social Engineering?  

Why use it:

  • Criminals—no l33+ $k1lz required
  • Formal penetration testing teams
  • Getting things done at work (privilege escalation)
  • Improving interpersonal relations

 

Hacking humans Goal(s)—what do you want?

Why Do People Fall for It?

  • Stupid?
  • Gullible?
  • Lazy?

Exploitable!

 

How to Hack Humans

  • /** Pwn$ {u}
  • Penetration Testing
  • Control resources
  • Leave backdoor
  • Cover tracks

 

Services and Ports

Human and machine networks are same (just quirkier)

  • Humans
  • Self-esteem
  • Apathy
  • Sadness
  • Happiness
  • Gregariousness
  • Ego / self-interest
  • Benefit to self
  • Commonalities
  • Helpfulness
  • Belonging

Ex.: Bar pickup vs. wives (Bastion host in DMZ vs. standalone PKI root CA)

Hosts

telnet

ftp

sftp

IpSec

 

HumInt

  • The Hidden Element
  • KNOW YOURSELF!!!
  • IPX/SPX vs. TCP/IP
  • Exploit Vulnerabilities
  • Brain firewalls & content filters
  • Finesse / Elicitation
  • PKI model

 

HumInt

 

DON’T

  • Run an MS Office exploit against a BSD OS
  • Keep hammering a port you can tell is closed (SSH ain’t running on :8080 . . .) will get you blacklisted
  • script kiddy vs. l33+ h@x04 (your neighbor’s kid vs. Kevin Mitnik)

 

DO!

  • Know your target!
  • Background
  • Motivators
  • Likes/dislikes
  • Proceed with caution
  • Finesse vs. not brute force (Hacker Ethic, don’t leave it worse than you found it) 😉

Ex: Hammurabi village & corn

 

Sanitized Stories – irl ’spl01+$

  • USB drives
  • South American NOC service technicians
  • Root-level CA and registrar server co-opt
  • Fortune 100 datacenter badging / geometry
  • Fortune 100 server heist w/ guards

 

Human IDS / IPS How to Guard Against It

Remain vigilant ALWAYS follow policies, baselines, and guidelines to the letter!

Questions?

 


Original Presentation Notes (Uploaded Word Document, 2007)

 


Hacking Humans | The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering Archive

 


Note on Document Integrity

Some high‑visibility materials on this site have previously experienced post‑publication formatting interference. All content has been verified and restored to its correct form. If you notice anything that appears visually inconsistent, please report it via my contact page so it can be corrected promptly.

Learn more in this short article, with screenshots documenting post-publication interference in Hunter Storm’s Hacking Humans presentation notes and more. Each alteration has been identified and corrected, ensuring the work remains verifiable and intact.

 


Discover More from Hunter Storm

 


About the Author | Hunter Storm | Technology Executive | Global Thought Leader | Keynote Speaker

CISO | Advisory Board Member | SOC Black Ops Team | Systems Architect | Strategic Policy Advisor | Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator | Cyber-Physical-Psychological Hybrid Threat Expert | Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage

Background

Hunter Storm is a veteran Fortune 100 Chief Information Security Officer (CISO); Advisory Board Member; Security Operations Center (SOC) Black Ops Team Member; Systems Architect; Risk Assessor; Strategic Policy and Intelligence Advisor; Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator, and Cyber-Physical-Psychological (Cyber-Phys-Psy) Hybrid Threat Expert; and Keynote Speaker with deep expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies.

Drawing on decades of experience in global Fortune 100 enterprises, including Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab, and American Express; aerospace and high-tech manufacturing leaders such as Alcoa and Special Devices (SDI) / Daicel Safety Systems (DSS); and leading technology services firms such as CompuCom, she guides organizations through complex technical, strategic, and operational challenges.

Hunter Storm combines technical mastery with real-world operational resilience in high-stakes environments. She builds and protects systems that often align with defense priorities, but serve critical industries and public infrastructure. She combines first-hand; hands-on; real-world cross-domain expertise in risk assessment, security, and ethical governance; and field-tested theoretical research with a proven track record in high-stakes environments that demand both technical acumen and strategic foresight.

Global Expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME) | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and Strategic Intelligence

Hunter Storm is a globally recognized Subject Matter Expert (SME) in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, quantum technology, intelligence, strategy, and emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs) as defined by NATO and other international frameworks.

A recognized subject matter expert (SME) with top-tier expert networks including GLG (Top 1%), AlphaSights, and Third Bridge, Hunter Storm advises Board Members, CEOs, CTOs, CISOs, Founders, and Senior Executives across technology, finance, and consulting sectors. Her insights have shaped policy, strategy, and high-risk decision-making at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, quantum technology, and human-technical threat surfaces.

Projects | Research and Development (R&D) | Frameworks

Hunter Storm is the creator of The Storm Project | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and the Future of Intelligence, the largest AI research initiative in history.

Hunter Storm pioneered Hacking Humans | The Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering, introducing foundational concepts that have profoundly shaped modern human-centric security disciplines, including behavioral security, human risk modeling, red teaming, psychological operations (PsyOps), and biohacking. It continues to inform the practice and theory of cybersecurity today, adopted by governments, enterprises, and global security communities.

Hunter Storm also pioneered the first global forensic mapping of digital repression architecture, suppression, and censorship through her project Viewpoint Discrimination by Design | First Global Forensic Mapping of Digital Repression Architecture, monitoring platform accountability and digital suppression worldwide.

Achievements and Awards

Hunter Storm is a Mensa member and recipient of the Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her enduring influence on AI, cybersecurity, quantum, technology, strategy, and global security.

Hunter Storm | The Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage

Hunter Storm is known for solving problems most won’t touch. She combines technical mastery, operational agility, and strategic foresight to protect critical assets and shape the future at the intersection of technology, strategy, and high-risk decision-making.

Hunter Storm reframes human-technical threat surfaces to expose vulnerabilities others miss, delivering the ultimate asymmetric advantage.

Discover Hunter Storm’s full About the Author biography and career highlights.

Professional headshot of Hunter Storm, a global strategic leader, AI expert, cybersecurity expert, quantum computing expert, strategic research and intelligence, singer, and innovator wearing a confident expression. The image conveys authority, expertise, and forward-thinking leadership in cybersecurity, AI security, and intelligence strategy.

Securing the Future | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum computing, innovation, risk management, hybrid threats, security. Hunter Storm (“The Fourth Option”) is here. Let’s get to work.

Confidential Contact

Contact Hunter Storm for: Consultations, engagements, board memberships, leadership roles, policy advisory, legal strategy, expert witness, or unconventional problems that require highly unconventional solutions.