The Threat of AI-Powered Social Engineering

Make sure you read until the end for the twist!

Security in hotels is of utmost importance. Not only to ensure that only the right people have access to staff areas, common areas and guest rooms but also to build trust and comfort ensuring that guests feel safe and secure.

When it comes to security, it's often said that humans are the weakest link. This is because, while we have advanced technology and sophisticated security systems in place to protect our information and assets, we can still be easily fooled by clever attackers who use social engineering techniques to manipulate us into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise our security.

Social engineering is a common tactic used by criminals to exploit human psychology and gain access to sensitive information or physical locations. This can range from impersonating a hotel employee over the phone to gain access to a guest's room, to manipulating a receptionist into giving out sensitive information. Maybe you have seen examples of this in movies like “Catch Me If You Can” or “Ocean's 8” where Deborah "Debbie" Ocean (played by Sandra Bullock) gets access to a room of someone just checking out by listening into conversations in the reception are.

Another reason why social engineering is effective is that it targets our natural human tendencies. We are wired to trust and be helpful, and we often make decisions based on our emotions rather than logic. This makes us vulnerable to attackers who use psychological tactics to manipulate our emotions and create a sense of urgency or fear that compels us to take action without thinking.

One way to reduce the risks associated with social engineering is through training and education. Hotel employees should be trained on how to spot and prevent social engineering attempts, and they should be made aware of the potential consequences of falling for these tactics.

Another way to reduce risk is to have proper processes in place such as always ask for an ID when issuing new guest cards or call the guest in the room before creating another key for the “spouse” who lost their key.

Regular security briefings and updates can also help to keep employees informed about the latest threats and how to protect against them. Additionally, implementing strict security protocols and regularly reviewing and updating them can help to prevent successful social engineering attacks.

But what if the manipulator wasn't a human at all, but a highly advanced artificial intelligence (AI)? How would this affect the security landscape, and what new challenges would it present for those trying to protect against social engineering attacks?

As AI technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of complex decision-making. This means that it could potentially be used to create highly personalized and effective social engineering attacks, tailored to the individual weaknesses and vulnerabilities of each target.

For example, an AI-powered social engineering attack might use machine learning algorithms to analyze a person's social media profile and other online data to create a detailed psychological profile. This profile could then be used to craft highly personalized and effective social engineering tactics.

Actually this entire blog post was not written by me but by OpenAI´s latest ChatGPT with just some input and small modifications by me.

By: Gustav Hagangen

Gustav serves as Director, Global Marketing & eBusiness at ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions. Driven by his passion for B2B marketing and project management, Gustav oversees company digital marketing and eBusiness strategies to ensure that they align with customer needs. At the same time, he nonetheless remains a generalist and is committed to understanding all aspects of business in order to maximize company growth opportunities and the ability to spur additional innovation in technology. A member of the ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions team for over 10 years, Gustav has been credited with the success of numerous cross-functional and cross divisional projects- from rebranding initiatives and product launches to the rollout and implementation of digital campaigns and tools.