Human psychological and biometric factor in the development and use of social engineering methods in peacetime and wartime

Abstract

The subject of this article is the process of influence of social engineers on people by manipulating consciousness, emotions, feelings without and with the use of modern information technology processing and simulation of biological characteristics of mankind in peacetime and wartime. The purpose and objectives are: consideration of existing methods of social engineering such as phishing, trojan, pretexting, watering hole, betting, quid pro quo, persecution, reverse social engineering through the prism of human feelings: naivety, inattention, greed, gullibility, curiosity, belonging fear; Consideration of modern technologies: handwriting forgery - My Text in your Handwriting algorithm, voice substitution - Descript's Ovrlab service, artificial dialogue - Replika application and face replacement - Deep Fake technology, which can help fraudsters to achieve their own goals of obtaining confidential data and carrying out further attacks based on them, as well as manipulating the consciousness of the real perception of events in wartime. The methods used are: psychological and sociological research methods, such as observation, social engineering methods, forecasting methods based on analysis and conclusions about future trends. The following results were obtained. Associations of methods of social engineering with feelings to which this or that psychological influence of the social engineer is directed are created. The potential of using emerging technologies with social engineering techniques to carry out more effective and sophisticated attacks, taking into account the favorite effects of criminals: haste, surprise, confusion, feelings of pity, anxiety, excitement and so on. The possibility of threats related to the procedures of authentication and authorization of users of biometric data on the basis of the considered modern technologies of imitation of biometric data of mankind: handwriting, voice, face. The scientific novelty of the research results is as follows: the importance and necessity of careful treatment of confidential information that people disseminate about themselves in all aspects of their social life; identified the main feelings on which social engineers play to achieve their own goals and benefit; the potential of development of modern technologies of imitation of biometric data of people in efficiency of carrying out attacks by methods of social engineering is specified, efficiency of use of means and methods of social engineering during information wars for influence on unstable psychological state is proved.