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SUMMARY:The Cybersecurity Awareness Experience: A Masterclass in Social En
 gineering\, Behavioral Psychology\, and Digital Self-Defense - Paul Draper
DTSTART:20260225T150000Z
DTEND:20260225T160000Z
UID:TALK240055@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ben Karniely
DESCRIPTION:Short Description:\nAn interactive look at how people\, not ma
 chines\, often decide the outcome of security breaches. Mentalist and anth
 ropologist Paul Draper demonstrates how social engineers work and offers p
 ractical ways to strengthen everyday cyber awareness: Using live demonstra
 tions and performance mentalism to make the lessons unforgettable.\n\nAbst
 ract:\nTechnical tools keep improving\, yet many successful attacks still 
 begin with a simple human mistake. Most breaches start with someone who wa
 s persuaded\, pressured\, or misdirected at just the right moment. This se
 minar focuses on that human side of cybersecurity.\n\nPaul Draper\, a ment
 alist and anthropologist who studies deception\, walks the audience throug
 h the thinking patterns that social engineers rely on. Using real cases al
 ong with live mentalism demonstrations\, he shows how attackers take advan
 tage of trust\, curiosity\, politeness\, and even stress.\n\nThese example
 s highlight how easily people can be influenced during routine digital int
 eractions. Draper blends research with performance\, illustrating how the 
 same principles that guide illusion\, misdirection\, and mentalism appear 
 in emails\, phone calls\, and online conversations. Attendees will experie
 nce firsthand how assumptions and quick decisions create openings that tec
 hnical defenses cannot always block.\n\nParticipants will leave with clear
 \, practical steps for improving their own security habits and for recogni
 zing common manipulation strategies. The goal is to help students and facu
 lty respond to digital threats with greater awareness\, confidence\, and e
 ven a sense of wonder.\n\nSpeaker Bio:\nPaul W. Draper is an anthropologis
 t and professional mentalist whose work focuses on deception\, attention\,
  and human behavior. He is the official mentalist for Disneyland\, has ser
 ved on the council for the Magic Circle in London\, and headlined at the V
 enetian Casino in Las Vegas for seven years. He has appeared on Inside the
  NBA with Shaquille O’Neal and has performed for hundreds of celebrities
 \, including Millie Bobby Brown\, Dick Van Dyke\, and J.J. Abrams\, as wel
 l as multiple times for employees at Bentley\, Apple\, and Meta/Facebook H
 Q.\n\nDraper has presented on cybersecurity and social engineering at the 
 United Nations\, WIPO\, and the World Bank. His article\, Misinformation\,
  Magic\, and Mendacity: Peeking Behind the Curtain to Explore the World of
  Deception\, was recently published in Anthropology of Consciousness throu
 gh Wiley Press and the American Anthropological Association. In New York s
 tate\, attorneys are required to complete his cybersecurity seminar throug
 h Reuters as part of their continuing legal education.\n\nDraper combines 
 insights from cognitive anthropology with live mentalism and stage perform
 ance to help audiences understand how people are influenced and how those 
 same mechanisms shape digital security. The result is a seminar that infor
 ms\, entertains\, and leaves a lasting impression.\n\nPosters and Photos: 
 https://pauldraper.com/information-and-media/\n\nThis talk will be followe
 d by tea and coffee in the Street.\n\nPlease register at the following lin
 k if you would like to attend: http://eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-cybersecurity
 -awareness-experience-tickets-1980366308940\n\nA recording of this talk is
  available at the following link: https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/seminars/wednes
 day/video/\n\nThis talk is being recorded. If you do not wish to be seen i
 n the recording\, please avoid sitting in the front six rows of the centra
 l section in the lecture theatre. Any questions asked will also be include
 d in the recording
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 1\, Computer Laboratory\, William Gates Building
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