SECURITY SERIES - PART 4 OF 5

Social Engineering, Doxing & Online Harassment

Social Engineering: Hacking the Human

Social engineering is the art of manipulating people into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. Unlike technical hacking that exploits software vulnerabilities, social engineering exploits human psychology—our trust, fear, curiosity, and desire to be helpful.

Why it works: It's easier to trick someone into giving you their password than to crack encryption. Humans are often the weakest link in security.

Common Social Engineering Tactics

Real-World Social Engineering Examples

The CEO Fraud

The Helpful IT Person

The Grandparent Scam

How to Protect Yourself from Social Engineering

• Verify identity independently – Call back using official phone numbers from company website, not numbers provided by caller
• Question urgency – Legitimate organizations don't create artificial 24-hour deadlines
• Never give passwords or PINs – No legitimate organization will ever ask for these
• Be suspicious of authority – Criminals impersonate police, HMRC, banks, and bosses
• Trust your instincts – If something feels wrong, it probably is
• Establish verification protocols – Family code words for emergency calls
• Think before you click – Don't let urgency override caution
• Don't overshare online – Information used to make social engineering more convincing
• Educate family members – Elderly relatives are often targeted
• Use multi-factor authentication – Even if someone gets your password, they can't access accounts

Doxing: When Privacy Becomes a Weapon

Doxing (or doxxing) is the malicious publication of private or identifying information about someone online without their consent. The term comes from "dropping docs" (documents).

What Information Gets Exposed

• Full name, address, and phone number
• Email addresses and social media accounts
• Workplace details and employer contact
• Family members' information
• Financial details and banking information
• National Insurance or other ID numbers
• Photos, including of home and family
• Medical records or personal history

Why People Get Doxed

• Revenge or harassment after personal disputes
• Political disagreements or activism
• Online gaming conflicts (surprisingly common)
• Whistleblowing retaliation
• Stalking and intimidation
• Targeted because of profession (journalists, police, politicians)

Real Impact of Doxing

How Criminals Gather Information for Doxing

1. Social media – Posts revealing location, workplace, family
2. Public records – Electoral roll, property ownership, business registrations
3. Data broker sites – Whitepages, 192.com, etc.
4. Photo metadata – GPS coordinates embedded in images
5. Username reuse – Tracking same username across platforms
6. WHOIS data – Domain registration information
7. Data breaches – Leaked information from hacks
8. Social engineering – Tricking you into revealing information

How to Protect Yourself from Doxing

• Google yourself regularly – See what information is publicly available
• Use privacy settings on all social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn)
• Don't overshare location – Avoid posting real-time locations, check-ins
• Use different usernames across platforms (makes tracking harder)
• Remove yourself from data brokers – Opt out of Whitepages, 192.com, etc.
• Turn off photo location services – Disable GPS tagging in camera settings
• Use P.O. Box or work address for online purchases when possible
• Hide WHOIS information – Use domain privacy protection
• Create separate email addresses – Personal, shopping, social media, work
• Be careful in photos – House numbers, street signs, car plates visible
• Remove personal info from resume – Don't include full address on public CVs
• Opt out of electoral roll marketing – Contact local council

If You've Been Doxed

Trolling & Online Harassment

Trolling ranges from mildly annoying behavior to severe, coordinated harassment campaigns that can destroy lives.

Types of Trolling

Type	Behavior	Severity
Light Trolling	Posting controversial opinions to start arguments	Low - Annoying
Flaming	Posting insults and hostile messages	Medium - Offensive
Harassment	Sustained targeting of individual with abuse	High - Harmful
Dogpiling/Brigading	Coordinated group attacks on individual	Severe - Devastating
Cyberstalking	Persistent monitoring and harassment	Critical - Dangerous

Why People Troll

• Anonymity – No real-world consequences
• Attention-seeking – Negative attention still feeds ego
• Entertainment – Find reactions amusing
• Ideological warfare – Attacking opposing views
• Psychological issues – Sadism, personality disorders
• Group mentality – Peer pressure in online communities

Impact on Victims

• Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Fear and paranoia about online presence
• Reduced participation in online communities
• Sleep problems and health issues
• Professional consequences (trolls contacting employers)
• Relationship strain
• In extreme cases, self-harm or suicide

How to Handle Trolling & Harassment

• Don't feed the trolls – Engagement is what they want; starve them of attention
• Block immediately – Use platform blocking features liberally
• Report to platform – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram all have reporting systems
• Document everything – Screenshots with dates for potential legal action
• Adjust privacy settings – Limit who can contact or see your posts
• Take breaks – Step away from social media when overwhelmed
• Build support network – Friends and family who understand
• Don't share personal information – Don't give trolls ammunition
• Use mute/filter features – Filter out keywords and phrases
• Remember it's not about you – Trolls attack indiscriminately

When to Involve Authorities

UK Reporting:

• Immediate danger: Call 999
• Non-emergency: Call 101
• Cybercrime: Action Fraud 0300 123 2040
• Support: Victim Support 0808 168 9111

Protecting Children Online

Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to online harassment, cyberbullying, and social engineering.

Parental Guidance

• Open communication – Create environment where children feel safe discussing online issues
• Age-appropriate education – Teach about online dangers at appropriate level
• Monitor (don't spy) – Know what platforms they use and who they interact with
• Privacy settings – Help set up accounts with maximum privacy
• Parental controls – Use built-in controls on devices and routers
• No personal information – Teach never to share name, address, school
• Recognize cyberbullying – Changes in behavior, reluctance to use devices
• Report mechanisms – Ensure they know how to report abuse
• Set time limits – Healthy balance of online and offline activities
• Lead by example – Model good digital citizenship

WiFi Security & Physical Security

Public WiFi Dangers

• Man-in-the-middle attacks – Criminals intercept your communication
• Evil twin networks – Fake hotspots with legitimate-sounding names
• Packet sniffing – Monitoring unencrypted traffic

Protection on Public WiFi

• Use VPN always – Encrypts all traffic (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN)
• Avoid sensitive activities – No banking or shopping on public WiFi
• Verify network name – Ask staff for correct WiFi name
• Turn off auto-connect – Prevent automatic joining of networks
• Use HTTPS only – Check for padlock in browser
• Turn off file sharing – In network settings
• Forget network after – Don't save public networks

Home WiFi Security

• Change default router password – "admin/admin" is not secure
• Use WPA3 encryption (or WPA2 if router older)
• Strong WiFi password – At least 16 characters, mix of types
• Update router firmware – Check manufacturer website regularly
• Disable WPS – Vulnerable to attacks
• Create guest network – Separate network for visitors
• Hide SSID (optional) – Makes network less visible

Action Plan: This Week's Challenge

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About the Author: Sean Kevin Wyndham-Quin has over 20 years of experience in computer repair and security. At Mac & PC Farnham, he helps individuals and families protect themselves from online threats and harassment.

Tags: social engineering, doxing, trolling, online harassment, cyberbullying, cybersecurity, privacy protection, WiFi security, UK cybercrime, digital safety Farnham