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Christopher Hadnagy

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Christopher J. Hadnagy
General Keith Alexander (left) offers Chris Hadnagy the NSA Director's Challenge Coin at DEF CON 20.
Born
Christopher James Hadnagy
Occupation(s)Information technology consultant, author
Organization(s)Innocent Lives Foundation, Social-Engineer, LLC
Websitewww.social-engineer.com

Christopher James Hadnagy is an American author and information technology security consultant. He is recognized for his contributions to the field of social engineering in information security.[1] He established the Innocent Lives Foundation. He contributed to DEF CON and was later permanently banned from it for code of conduct violations.[2]

Career

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Hadnagy is the founder and CEO of Social-Engineer LLC, a company specializing in education and training in social engineering.[3] He also established Social-Engineer.Org, an IT security education website.[4]

Hadnagy has contributed to the information security industry, including developing a social engineering framework, producing a newsletter, and hosting a podcast focused on the subject.[5]

He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona's Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, designated by the NSA.[6]

In 2019, Vice reported that Hadnagy sold computer software designed for identifying anonymous online child predators to the FBI for $250,000.[7]

Charitable foundation

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In 2017, Hadnagy founded the Innocent Lives Foundation,[8] dedicated to protecting children from online predators by investigating child exploitation, sexual abuse, trafficking, and the production of child sexual abuse material. The foundation collaborates with information security professionals, uses open-source intelligence (OSINT), and works with law enforcement agencies in the United States, including support from actor Erin Gray[9] and the FBI.[10]

DEF CON

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Hadnagy contributed to DEF CON by helping create a social engineering competition in 2009 and sponsoring one of the first social engineering capture the flag events in 2010.[11][12]

Hadnagy was permanently banned from DEF CON in 2022 for code of conduct violations, a decision he publicly disputed.[13][14] He sued DEF CON for harm to his reputation.[15][16][17] In February 2025, details of the harassment allegations against him were published when a motion for summary judgment was filed.[2] In May 2025, the judge dismissed Hadnagy's lawsuit because he could not prove the claims against him were false.[18][19]

BSides Cleveland

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In 2021, Security BSides in Cleveland Ohio featured Hadnagy as an unlisted "special guest" speaker.[20] Controversy surrounding his participation and speaking led to several other speakers withdrawing from the event in the moment of speaking.[21]

Books

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Christopher Hadnagy has authored several books on social engineering, including:

  • Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking (2018, John Wiley & Sons Inc.) ISBN 978-1-119-43338-5[22]
  • Unmasking the Social Engineer: The Human Element of Security (2014, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) ISBN 978-1-118-60857-9
  • Phishing Dark Waters: The Offensive and Defensive Sides of Malicious E-mails (2015, John Wiley & Sons Inc.), co-authored with Michele Fincher and Robin Dreeke ISBN 978-1-118-95847-6
  • Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking (2010, Wiley Publishing, Inc.) ISBN 978-0-470-63953-5[23]
  • Human Hacking: Win Friends, Influence People, and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You (2021, Harper Business) ISBN 978-0-063-00178-7[24]

References

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  1. ^ Hiltner, Stephen (September 24, 2018). "When Reporting on Defcon, Avoid Stereotypes and A.T.M.s". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b Jones, Connor (2025-02-25). "Harassment allegations against DEF CON veteran detailed in court filing". Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  3. ^ "Hacking humans: social engineering and the power of influence". ABC Radio National. March 16, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  4. ^ Goodchild, Joan (October 17, 2011). "New social engineering poll reveals which scam works better". CSO Online. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  5. ^ Yadron, Danny (2015-04-20). "The Man Who Hacks Your Employees". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  6. ^ "Faculty". The University of Arizona – Center of Academic Excellence.
  7. ^ Cox, Joseph (2021-03-25). "FBI Paid Anti-Child Predator Charity $250,000 for Hacking Tools". Vice. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  8. ^ Larson, Selena (2017-08-14). "Hacker creates organization to unmask child predators". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  9. ^ "Actress Erin Gray talks about The Innocent Lives Foundation - CBS Los Angeles". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  10. ^ Cox, Joseph (2021-03-25). "FBI Paid Anti-Child Predator Charity $250,000 for Hacking Tools". Vice. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  11. ^ "Chris Hadnagy on the Def Con hackers posing as your coworkers". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  12. ^ "DefCon contest to spotlight social engineering". CSO Online. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  13. ^ Nichols, Shaun (February 10, 2022). "DEF CON bans social engineering expert Chris Hadnagy". TechTarget. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  14. ^ "Post DEF CON 29". DEFCON Transparency Report. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  15. ^ Hetzner, Christiaan (August 19, 2022). "Star social engineer dubbed the 'human hacker' sues Def Con after receiving permanent ban". Fortune. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  16. ^ Faife, Corin (2022-08-18). "Def Con banned a social engineering star — now he's suing". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  17. ^ Wright, Rob (2023-01-16). "Judge dismisses Chris Hadnagy lawsuit against DEF CON". TechTarget. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  18. ^ Volokh, Eugene (2025-05-13). "Defamation Lawsuit Against Def Con Cybersecurity Conference Dismissed". Reason.com. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  19. ^ Jones, Connor (May 16, 2025). "Defamation case against DEF CON terminated with prejudice". The Register. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
  20. ^ "Security BSides Response to the BSides Cleveland Incident". Security Bsides. June 20, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  21. ^ "Security BSides commits to greater conference diversity after speaker backlash". IT PRO. June 21, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  22. ^ Hadnagy, Christopher (July 31, 2018). Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-43338-5.
  23. ^ BillV (2018-07-26). "Book Review: Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking". Security Boulevard. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  24. ^ Human hacking : win friends, influence people, and leave them better off for having met you. OCLC 1255930084. Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via WorldCat.org.
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