Apr 10

The Human Factor: Why Social Engineering is the Hardest Vulnerability to Patch

Social engineering exploits the one cybersecurity vulnerability that never changes: human behavior. Unlike software, people can't be patched—curiosity, trust, and fear make them prime targets. Nation-state threat actors from Iran, Russia, and North Korea continue using tactics like spear phishing and fake job offers to infiltrate organizations. This session examines how social engineering preys on psychology, why it remains a persistent threat, and practical steps organizations can take to strengthen their defenses.

Speaker Bio

Peter Fellini

AVP of Cybersecurity

Peter Fellini is AVP of Cybersecurity with Compass Cyber Guard. Peter has over 20 years of experience in a variety IT Security fields such as Ethical Hacking, Social Engineering, and Auditing. He has a Masters of Science in Education as well as industry certifications including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Social Engineering Pentest Professional (SEPP), Offensive Security Wireless Professional (OSWP), PCI Professional (PCIP), etc. Peter has competed multiple times at DefCon's Social Engineering Village in the SECTF challenge. He is also attending school part-time at Johnson & Wales University to become a professional craft beer brewer.

1.25 CPE's will be granted for attendance.

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