One man's tale of learning how to slip past guards, fake id badges and gain access to Hollywood's most coveted events should be a fun story. But to someone like me who thinks about internet security, it's a reminder how often social engineering is used to fool us in all aspects of our lives.
Scott Weiss used those tricks and others to attend such exclusive events as the Emmy's award ceremony, the Academy Awards, even the Governor's Ball! He's turned that tale of adventure into a documentary film called "Crasher." The topic is so appealing. He figured out how to mingle with the biggest stars and most famous people of Hollywood, including such luminaries as Anne Hathaway, Clint Eastwood even Prince Charles! With the Academy Awards ceremony occuring this Sunday, today's LA times features a lengthy story about Weiss' exploits and includes video with photos of him with the glitterati on their website.
Bu tthe methods Weiss and his friends Ron Magid and Larry Torro used are classic social engineering. Weiss spent time to dress the part of someone who belongs at a fancy award show. He learned the layout of each venue so he could find areas of lower security attention. He pretended he belonged, posing as a guest who had lost his way. He played a role, using props and lingo to fit in. And he invested in very low tech tools such as a laminating machine so he could fake IDs to gain access.
Social engineering is the term to describe all these methods. These same methods are often used by cybercriminals to fool us into sharing private information and ruining our own security. Phishing emails where offers that are too good to be true utilize such methods.
So, this Sunday, while you are enjoying the spectacle of gorgeous people and gorgeous clothing, take a moment to reflect on your own vulnerability to these methods. But not for too long - you might miss spotting Scott Weiss in the crowd!