Social Engineering

Catalog description

Examines social engineering — the science of influencing a target to perform a desired task or divulge information. The course provides the student with current information defining the many methods of deception hackers use in order to gather information with the intent of executing identity theft, fraud, or gaining computer system access; discusses actives toward preventing social engineering threats ranging from elicitation, pretexting, influence and manipulation. The elements of social engineering are presented, discussed and explained by using real-world examples and the science behind them to unravel the mystery in social engineering. To complement the social engineering threat, the course analyzes the ethical and social implications of computer technology. The course explores technological, social and philosophical issues to include the ramifications of automation, the ethical obligations of computer specialists and the threats to privacy that come with increased computerization. Combining the criminal-centric role of social engineering with the ethical, legal and moral impacts of technology upon individuals results in a course that provides the student a comprehensive overview of the challenges, threats and issues of everyday life in the digital age. Prerequisite : CSSS 5000 or CSSS 5100* (*If in the Artificial Intelligence or Data Analytics emphasis).