EPISODE · Jun 20, 2026 · 34 MIN
Social Engineering Before Cybersecurity
from My Weird Prompts
Most people think social engineering started with cybersecurity. But the practice of manipulating people to gain access or information is as old as civilization itself. In this episode, we trace the actual lineage — from the Trojan Horse to the Cambridge Five spy ring, from Renaissance con artists to the CIA's Simple Sabotage Field Manual. We break down the core psychological vulnerabilities (authority, urgency, social proof) and the techniques (pretexting, baiting, tailgating) that predate digital technology by centuries. If you think social engineering is just phishing emails, this history will change how you see human nature as an attack surface.
What this episode covers
Most people think social engineering started with cybersecurity. But the practice of manipulating people to gain access or information is as old as civilization itself. In this episode, we trace the actual lineage — from the Trojan Horse to the Cambridge Five spy ring, from Renaissance con artists to the CIA's Simple Sabotage Field Manual. We break down the core psychological vulnerabilities (authority, urgency, social proof) and the techniques (pretexting, baiting, tailgating) that predate digital technology by centuries. If you think social engineering is just phishing emails, this history will change how you see human nature as an attack surface.
NOW PLAYING
Social Engineering Before Cybersecurity
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Jan 2, 2026 ·47m
Dec 21, 2025 ·46m