Podcast
The Social-Engineer Podcast
Hosted by Social-Engineer, LLC · EN
The Social-Engineer Podcast is about humans. Understanding how we interact, communicate and relay information can help us protect, mitigate and understand social engineering attacks
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 333 - Security Awareness Series - DISC and Pivoting with Shelby Dacko
Dec 1500:32:25Tap to summarizeToday on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Shelby Dacko. Chris and Shelby delve into the intricacies of social engineering, focusing on the challenges of pivoting during on-site security assessments. Their discussion highlights the importance of adaptability and teamwork in overcoming unexpected obstacles, emphasizing how diverse communication styles can enhance the effectiveness of security operations. [Dec 15, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:34 - Shelby Dacko Intro - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbydacko/ 01:18 - Intro Links: - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Offensive Security Vishing Services - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/vishing/ - Offensive Security SMiShing Services - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/smishing/ - Offensive Security Phishing Services - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/smishing/ - Call Back Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/call-back-phishing/ - Adversarial Simulation Services - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/adversarial-simulation/ - Social Engineering Risk Assessments - https://www.social-engineer.com/offensive-security/social-engineering-risk-assessment/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:42 - The Importance of Pivoting 05:42 - DISC 06:59 - A Difference in Planning Styles 10:34 - Strength Through Diversity 12:40 - Over the River... 19:29 - And Through the Woods 20:24 - Being Onsite 21:40 - Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! 24:02 - What if? 25:29 - Stray From the Path 28:25 - Strength In Numbers 29:27 - Playing Into Biases 31:43 - Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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Ep. 324 - Human Element Series - It Cant Be About Me with Jay Izso
Oct 1300:46:52Tap to summarizeToday we are joined by Jay Izso. Jay is a high-energy mindset and resilience coach, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and media personality. Known as “Coach Jay,” he helps people shift their thinking, master their mindset, and unlock their potential in business and life. Drawing on his background in psychology and years of coaching leaders, entrepreneurs, and athletes, Jay blends humor, science, and real-world stories that resonate with audiences everywhere. As the host of A New Direction and Real Estate Right Now, he’s built a reputation for engaging conversations that inspire action, growth, and results. [Oct 13, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - Intro Links - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 01:58 - Jay Izso Intro 02:48 - Lessons From the Farm - Book: Lessons From the Farm - Jay Izso 09:11 - Kindness as a Core Value 14:37 - MasterClass Ad 16:16 - The Electric Fence 23:24 - I'll Figure It Out 29:16 - Losing Your Ego 34:40 - The Gift of Servitude 37:07 - 100% Rule 38:14 - I Was Wrong 39:17 - Find Jay Izso Online - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coach-jay/ 40:14 - Book Recommendations - Human Hacking - Christopher Hadnagy - Iron-Sharpened Leadership - John L. Gronski - Success Mindsets - Ryan Gottfredson - The Creator Mindset - Nir Bashan 42:11 - Mentors 45:29 - Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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Ep. 323 - The Doctor Is In Series - Dreams Placebo and Deja Vu
Oct 600:37:06Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology. In today’s episode, Chris and Dr. Abbie explore the intriguing phenomena of dreams, the placebo effect, and déjà vu. They delve into the mysteries of why dreams can feel more emotionally intense than reality, how belief can trigger real physiological changes, and the perplexing sensation of déjà vu that leaves us questioning our memories. Through engaging discussions, they uncover what science knows and the many questions that remain unanswered about these fascinating topics. [Oct 6, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:54 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro 01:14 - Intro Links - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:17 - The Topic of the Day: Dreams, Placebo and Deja Vu 04:11 - Why Do We Dream? 07:01 - Information Integration 09:36 - Second-Hand Emotion 11:41 - What We Don't Know 14:28 - Uploading Your Dreams 17:26 - The Placebo Effect 22:57 - Context Dependent 26:09 - Non-Responders 28:21 - Deja Vu 30:01 - The Smell Trigger 31:31 - The Emotional Aspect 34:43 - What's Your Sign? 35:44 - Wrap Up 35:59 - Next Month: Ambition 36:34 - Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org Find us online: - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd - Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy References: Barrett, D. (2001). The committee of sleep: How artists, scientists, and athletes use dreams for creative problem solving—and how you can too. Oneiroi Press. de la Fuente-Fernández, R., Ruth, T. J., Sossi, V., Schulzer, M., Calne, D. B., & Stoessl, A. J. (2001). Expectation and dopamine release: Mechanism of the placebo effect in Parkinson's disease. Science, 293(5532), 1164–1166. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1060937 Hobson, J. A. (2009). REM sleep and dreaming: Towards a theory of protoconsciousness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(11), 803–813. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2716 Hobson, J. A., & McCarley, R. W. (1977). The brain as a dream state generator: An activation-synthesis hypothesis of the dream process. Cognitive Psychology, 5(4), 448–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(77)90005-9 Platek, S. M., Critton, S. R., Myers, T. E., & Gallup, G. G. (2003). Contagious yawning: The role of self-awareness and mental state attribution. Cognitive Brain Research, 17(2), 223–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0926-6410(03)00109-5 Revonsuo, A. (2000). The reinterpretation of dreams: An evolutionary hypothesis of the function of dreaming. Consciousness and Cognition, 9(2), 210–218. https://doi.org/10.1006/ccog.2000.0422 Stickgold, R., & Walker, M. P. (2013). Sleep-dependent memory triage: Evolving generalization through selective processing. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 17(10), 501–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2013.06.003 Voss, U., Holzmann, R., Tuin, I., & Hobson, J. A. (2009). Lucid dreaming: A state of consciousness with features of both waking and non-lucid dreaming. Sleep, 32(9), 1191–1200. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/32.9.1191 Wager, T. D., Scott, D. J., & Zubieta, J.-K. (2007). Placebo effects on human μ-opioid activity during pain. NeuroImage, 35(1), 253–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.11.026
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Ep. 296 - Human Element Series - The Imagination Dilemma with Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos REPLAY
Sep 2900:40:56Tap to summarizeREPLAY (Original Air Date March 10, 2025) Today we are joined by Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos. Dr. Kostopoulos is a globally recognized strategist that brings clarity and context as to what is on the horizon. Her unique expertise at the intersection of emerging technology, security and macro-trends has been sought by the United Nations, U.S. Special Operations, the European Commission, NATO, multi-nationals, tech companies, design agencies, academia, such as MIT and Oxford Saïd Business School, and foreign governments. She helps her clients understand new technologies, emerging value chains, and contextualizes the convergences of our time. She founded the boutique consultancy Abundance Studio and has experience working in the US, Europe, Middle East and East Asia. [March 10, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:19 - Intro Links - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 02:10 - Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos Intro 03:30 - From Counter Terrorism to Conflict Landscapes 05:35 - The Imagination Dilemma 09:13 - Technological Tit for Tat 11:38 - Four Facets of Imagination 12:18 - Facet 1) Identity 13:36 - Facet 2) Convergence 15:38 - Facet 3) Humanity 16:48 - Facet 4) Dreams 18:18 - Turning Crisis Into Strategy 22:39 - Being Human 26:04 - Future-Proofing Organizations 29:51 - Real Value Proposition 31:26 - Webinar Series - Website: imaginationdilemma.com - YouTube: @ImaginationDilemma 32:12 - Find Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos online - Website: abundance.studio - LinkedIn: in/lydiak - Instagram: @HiLydiak 32:46 - Book Recommendations - The 100-Year Life - Andrew Scott & Lynda Gratton - Imagination Dilemma - Dr. Lydia Kostopoulos 37:02 - Mentors - Parents - Women Suffragists 38:15 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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Ep. 322 - The 4th Monday Series - Is Your Vintage Game Worth 30000? with Ryan Rosenzweig
Sep 2200:24:41Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news. Today Chris and Mike are joined by Ryan Rosenzweig. Ryan is the 26 years old CEO of C10 Toys and Games, which he started when he was just 16 years old. Based out of Orlando FL, he specializes in Video games, Pokemon cards and Funko pops. [Sept 22, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:25 - Mike Holfeld Intro 00:47 - Today's Guest: Ryan Rosenzweig 01:09 - Collecting as a Business 03:25 - Something for Everyone 04:24 - Currently Hot! 04:55 - Going Vintage 06:41 - Arcade Consoles 07:33 - World Championships 08:52 - Following the Trends 10:30 - Who's the Customer? 11:40 - Inadvertent Exercise App 12:42 - Detective Work 15:30 - Road Life 16:18 - Trade-In 16:58 - Full Time Job 19:36 - Multi-Million Dollar Industry 20:28 - E-Sports 21:45 - Find Ryan Rosenzweig Online - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c10_tng?igsh=N3pkdGl6OWFkODh2 22:15 - Beware of Fakes 23:02 - 10 Years Later 23:47 - Wrap Up 23:58 - Next Month: Carrie Hatton 24:24 - Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org Find us online: - Chris Hadnagy - Twitter: @humanhacker - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy
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Ep. 321 - Security Awareness Series - Trust But Verify Even Under Abnormal Circumstances: A Red Team Story with Chris and Faith
Sep 1500:29:29Tap to summarizeToday on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Faith Kent. Together, they delve into the critical role of effective communication, the art of role adaptation, and the psychological dynamics in crisis situations. The conversation highlights the importance of proactive preparedness and fostering trust within teams to tackle challenges with confidence. [Sept 15, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:42 - Faith Kent Intro 01:21 - Intro Links: - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:09 - Breaking & Entering 04:45 - Blending In 07:45 - Frank's Computer 10:13 - Unusual Communications 12:17 - Cochlear Implant 14:19 - Ethical Boundaries 16:11 - Community Pride 18:00 - Leaning Into the Discomfort 21:57 - Not an Afterthought 23:08 - Diversity for Security 27:00 – Trust, But Verify (Always) 28:23 - Wrap Up - Deaf Gain: Raising the Stakes for Human Diversity - https://gallaudet.edu/deaf-president-now/ - https://www.lifeprint.com/ 29:03 - Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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Ep. 320 - Human Element Series - Using Gestures To Enhanced Communications with Lauren Gawne
Sep 800:33:03Tap to summarizeToday we are joined by Lauren Gawne. Lauren is a Senior Lecturer in linguistics at La Trobe University. Her work focuses on understanding how people use gestures and grammar, with a particular focus on cross-cultural gesture use. Lauren also does research on emoji, scicomm and the grammar of Tibetan languages in Nepal. [Sept 8, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 01:40 - Intro Links - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 02:40 - Lauren Gawne Intro 03:02 - Foreign Gestures 03:59 - Linguistical Mad Libs 05:37 - Universal Traits 07:47 - This Isn't Taught 10:07 - Head Shaking Confusion 12:41 - The Weirdness of Writing 14:31 - Deception Detection 17:46 - Got The Time? 21:39 - Assigning Space 23:06 - The Cross Culture Conundrum 27:31 - Find Lauren Gawne Online - Website: https://lingthusiasm.com/ - Blog: https://www.superlinguo.com/ - Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/superlinguo.bsky.social 28:48 - Book Recommendations - The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells - Gesture - Lauren Gawne 30:39 - Mentors - Barbara Kelly 31:58 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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Ep. 319 - The Doctor Is In Series - Can You Trust Your Gut? - All About Intuition
Sep 100:27:05Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology. In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie delve into the fascinating world of intuition and gut feelings. They explore whether these instincts are rooted in biology or shaped by past experiences and discuss the science behind how our brains process environmental cues to make quick decisions. [Sept 1, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:44 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro 01:02 - Intro Links - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 02:23 - New Book Announcement - Lilly the Brave Lion - Dr. Abbie Maroño 03:34 - The Topic of the Day: All About Intuition 06:04 - Is Intuition Always Right? 10:39 - Training Over Instinct 13:56 - Teaching Autonomy 16:39 - Facing Hard Truths 20:19 - Lack of Self Trust 24:06 - Intuition or Trauma Response? 26:16 - Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org Find us online: - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd - Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy References: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Intuition. In APA Dictionary of Psychology. Retrieved March 29, 2025, from https://dictionary.apa.org/intuition Bechara, A., Damasio, H., Tranel, D., & Damasio, A. R. (1997). Deciding advantageously before knowing the advantageous strategy. Science, 275(5304), 1293–1295. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.275.5304.1293 Dane, E., & Pratt, M. G. (2007). Exploring intuition and its role in managerial decision making. Academy of Management Review, 32(1), 33–54. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2007.23463682 Gigerenzer, G. (2007). Gut feelings: The intelligence of the unconscious. Viking. Hodgkinson, G. P., Langan-Fox, J., & Sadler-Smith, E. (2008). Intuition: A fundamental bridging construct in the behavioral sciences. British Journal of Psychology, 99(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1348/000712607X216666 Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Lieberman, M. D. (2000). Intuition: A social cognitive neuroscience approach. Psychological Bulletin, 126(1), 109–137. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.1.109 Sadler-Smith, E., & Shefy, E. (2004). The intuitive executive: Understanding and applying 'gut feel' in decision-making. Academy of Management Executive, 18(4), 76–91. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2004.15268692
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Ep. 318 - The 4th Monday Series - Finding Stable Employment in a Crazy Economy with Bobby Knost
Aug 2500:29:10Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news. Today Chris and Mike are joined by Bobby Knost. Bobby is a proud member of the Iron Workers Local Union 808, which represents workers across eight counties in Central Florida. He has been a Union Iron Worker since 1985 and currently serves as the Business Manager of Local 808, a position he has held since June of 2018. [Aug 25, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:16 - Mike Holfeld Intro 01:02 - Today's Guest: Bobby Knost 01:28 - Let's Start with "Why?" 02:44 - Just Give Me a Chance 04:19 - The Union Advantage 06:13 - Journey to Journeyman 07:21 - What Do I Do? - https://www.ironworkers808.com/ 08:21 - Building Something 12:01 - An Act of Attrition 15:32 - Paying It Forward 17:39 - You're Gonna Want to Go Up! 19:16 - Google "Union Iron Workers" 20:17 - The Work is There 24:13 - Be A Cadillac 25:58 - Wrap Up 26:53 - Honoring Brother Mike 28:56 - Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org Find us online: - Chris Hadnagy - Twitter: @humanhacker - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy
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Ep. 317 - Security Awareness Series - Are You Ready For A Breach? with Jowan and Chris
Aug 1800:23:10Tap to summarizeToday on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Jowan Joseph. Chris and Jowan discuss the importance of effective communication, role adaptation, and the psychological aspects of crisis situations. The discussion emphasizes the need for proactive preparedness and building trust within teams to navigate challenges effectively. [Aug 18, 2025] 00:00 - Intro 00:32 - Jowan Joseph Intro 00:44 - New Format 01:24 - Intro Links: - Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ - Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ - Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ - Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ - Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb - CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ - innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:08 - Tabletop...Child's Play 04:36 - Phase One: Assigning Roles 07:11 - Going Rogue 08:05 - Measuring Tone 09:22 - A Few More Twists 09:57 - Some Heads Are Gonna Roll 10:41 - Communication Breakdown 12:17 - Post Mortem 13:44 - Alignment at Scale 14:57 - Divide and Conquer... Together 17:31 - Proactive Instead of Reactive 20:21 - The Communication Gap 21:22 - Trust Factor 22:15 - Wrap Up & Outro - www.social-engineer.com - www.innocentlivesfoundation.org
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