No Tech Hacking

Book excerpt: Johnny Long's last book sold 12,000 units worldwide. Kevin Mitnick's last book sold 40,000 units in North America.As the cliché goes, information is power. In this age of technology, an increasing majority of the world's information is stored electronically. It makes sense then that we rely on high-tech electronic protection systems to guard that information. As professional hackers, Johnny Long and Kevin Mitnick get paid to uncover weaknesses in those systems and exploit them. Whether breaking into buildings or slipping past industrial-grade firewalls, their goal has always been the same: extract the information using any means necessary. After hundreds of jobs, they have discovered the secrets to bypassing every conceivable high-tech security system. This book reveals those secrets; as the title suggests, it has nothing to do with high technology.• Dumpster DivingBe a good sport and don't read the two "D words written in big bold letters above, and act surprised when I tell you hackers can accomplish this without relying on a single bit of technology (punny). • TailgatingHackers and ninja both like wearing black, and they do share the ability to slip inside a building and blend with the shadows.• Shoulder SurfingIf you like having a screen on your laptop so you can see what you're working on, don't read this chapter.• Physical SecurityLocks are serious business and lock technicians are true engineers, most backed with years of hands-on experience. But what happens when you take the age-old respected profession of the locksmith and sprinkle it with hacker ingenuity?• Social Engineering with Jack WilesJack has trained hundreds of federal agents, corporate attorneys, CEOs and internal auditors on computer crime and security-related topics. His unforgettable presentations are filled with three decades of personal "war stories" from the trenches of Information Security and Physical Security. • Google HackingA hacker doesn't even need his own computer to do the necessary research. If he can make it to a public library, Kinko's or Internet cafe, he can use Google to process all that data into something useful.• P2P HackingLet's assume a guy has no budget, no commercial hacking software, no support from organized crime and no fancy gear. With all those restrictions, is this guy still a threat to you? Have a look at this chapter and judge for yourself.• People WatchingSkilled people watchers can learn a whole lot in just a few quick glances. In this chapter we'll take a look at a few examples of the types of things that draws a no-tech hacker's eye.• KiosksWhat happens when a kiosk is more than a kiosk? What happens when the kiosk holds airline passenger information? What if the kiosk holds confidential patient information? What if the kiosk holds cash?• Vehicle SurveillanceMost people don't realize that some of the most thrilling vehicular espionage happens when the cars aren't moving at all!