--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The key to social engineering is…" description: "\"The key to social engineering is influencing a person to do something that allows the hacker to gain access to information or your network.\" — Kevin Mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/kevin-mitnick-3026_access_the-key-to-social-engineering-is-influen_2383976.png" --- # The key to social engineering is influencing a person to… ![“The key to social engineering is influencing a person to do something that allows the hacker to gain access to information or your network.” quote by Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/kevin-mitnick-3026_access_the-key-to-social-engineering-is-influen_2383976.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/kevin-mitnick-3026_access_the-key-to-social-engineering-is-influen_2383976.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/kevin-mitnick-3026_access_the-key-to-social-engineering-is-influen_2383976.png) > “The key to social engineering is influencing a person to do something that allows the hacker to gain access to information or your network.” [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social engineering manipulates people to grant unauthorized access to data or networks. **In simple terms:** Manipulating people to gain access. Key Takeaway Guard against human‑based attacks. Themes security manipulation trust Mood alert serious Type educational warning When to use this quote - corporate IT - government agencies - individual users Key Concepts social engineering cybersecurity human factors Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations train staff to recognize manipulation? - What ethical lines exist in social engineering? A Different Perspective Technical defenses alone are insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Access to information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access-to-information/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) [Hackers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hackers/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-engineering/) ## Related quotes > [Social engineering bypasses all technologies, including firewalls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/social-engineering-bypasses-all-technologies-including-firewalls/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Both social engineering and technical attacks played a big part in what I was able to do. It was a hybrid. I used social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/both-social-engineering-and-technical-attacks-played-a-big-part-in/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Social engineering is using manipulation, influence and deception to get a person, a trusted insider within an organization, to comply with a request, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/social-engineering-is-using-manipulation-influence-and-deception-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Social engineering is using deception, manipulation and influence to convince a human who has access to a computer system to do something, like click…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/social-engineering-is-using-deception-manipulation-and-influence-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [With enough of us, around the world, we'll not just send a strong message opposing the privatization of knowledge - we'll make it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/with-enough-of-us-around-the-world-we-ll-not-just-send-a-strong/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Complete and accurate surveillance as a means of control is probably a practical impossibility. What is much more likely is a loss of privacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-c-ferkiss/complete-and-accurate-surveillance-as-a-means-of-control-is-probably/) Victor C. Ferkiss > [We must remember that democracy works when given time to develop, mature and deliver. People must have access to information for informed debate. Government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/we-must-remember-that-democracy-works-when-given-time-to-develop/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [But libraries are about freedom. Freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communication. They are about education (which is not a process that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-libraries-are-about-freedom-freedom-to-read-freedom-of-ideas/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I dream of a Digital India where access to Information knows no barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-dream-of-a-digital-india-where-access-to-information-knows-no/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Librarians consider free access to information the foundation of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-johnson/librarians-consider-free-access-to-information-the-foundation-of/) [Marilyn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-johnson/) > [Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pravin-lal/beware-of-he-who-would-deny-you-access-to-information-for-in-his/) Pravin Lal > [I want people in all the government agencies to be communicating with people because for me, we're in an era - which didn't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-want-people-in-all-the-government-agencies-to-be-communicating-with/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [There is a difference between having access to information and having the savvy it takes to interpret it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/there-is-a-difference-between-having-access-to-information-and-having/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [Technology, and applications of this technology, will continue to improve and evolve, providing unprecedented, global access to information, individuals, training, and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/technology-and-applications-of-this-technology-will-continue-to/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) Andrew Nikiforuk ## More by Kevin Mitnick > [The human. Now you know all about your target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-human-now-you-know-all-about-your-target/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Back up everything! You are not invulnerable. Catastrophic data loss can happen to you - one worm or Trojan is all it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/back-up-everything-you-are-not-invulnerable-catastrophic-data-loss/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When an attacker fails with one person, they often go to another person. The key is to report the attack to other departments. Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/when-an-attacker-fails-with-one-person-they-often-go-to-another/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I think malware is a significant threat because the mitigation, like antivirus software, hasn't evolved to a point to really mitigate the risk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-think-malware-is-a-significant-threat-because-the-mitigation-like/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Usually companies hire me, and they know full well who I am, and that's one of the reasons they want to hire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/usually-companies-hire-me-and-they-know-full-well-who-i-am-and-that-s/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [A lot of companies are clueless, because they spend most or all of their security budget on high-tech security like fire walls and biometric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/a-lot-of-companies-are-clueless-because-they-spend-most-or-all-of/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I characterize myself as a retired hacker. I'm applying what I know to improve security at companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-characterize-myself-as-a-retired-hacker-i-m-applying-what-i-know-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [No company that I ever hacked into reported any damages, which they were required to do for significant losses. Sun didn't stop using Solaris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/no-company-that-i-ever-hacked-into-reported-any-damages-which-they/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [New security loopholes are constantly popping up because of wireless networking. The cat-and-mouse game between hackers and system administrators is still in full swing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/new-security-loopholes-are-constantly-popping-up-because-of-wireless/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The explosion of companies deploying wireless networks insecurely is creating vulnerabilities, as they think it's limited to the office - then they have Johnny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-explosion-of-companies-deploying-wireless-networks-insecurely-is/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The government does things like insisting that all encryption programs should have a back door. But surely no one is stupid enough to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-government-does-things-like-insisting-that-all-encryption/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I get hired to hack into computers now and sometimes it's actually easier than it was years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-get-hired-to-hack-into-computers-now-and-sometimes-it-s-actually/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) [Explore all 142 Kevin Mitnick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## More Access quotes > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. 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I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) Andrew Nikiforuk > [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. 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