Psychological subversion
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Psychological subversion (PsychSub) is the name given by
Usage example
Headley often gave the following example
The hacker has the subject off guard and very defensive, wanting nothing more than to appease the irritated general as quickly as possible. The hacker then goes silent, giving the victim ample time to stammer into the phone and build up his fear level, while listening for clues from the victim as to how best to proceed. Eventually, the hacker suggests that the tech create a temporary account for the general, or change the general's password to that of the hacker's choice.
The hacker would then have gained access to a classified military computer. It is important to note that this technique would not work any more, in no small part thanks to Headley's teaching of the military agencies about such methods during the 1980s.[citation needed]
Scientific methodology
While pretexting methods and so-called social engineering are based on on-the-fly adaptations during a phone call made to the victim with very little pre-planning or forethought, the practice of PsychSub is based on the principles of
Classified thesis
Headley's thesis entitled "The Psychological Subversion of Trusted Systems" was classified by the DOD in 1984 and so far has not seen the light of day. As a result, further information about PsychSub is generally unavailable outside of Headley's own seminars on the subject during the 1980s at