Social engineering has, over time, become simpler to carry out and therefore more successful and difficult to prevent. This is because attackers have been getting newer and more effective tools that they can use to execute their attacks. Having these tools is not enough; the knowledge of how to use them has been paramount in many attacks. These tools have been made in all forms, shapes, and sizes. There are physical tools used mostly to gain access and collect information and there are software tools that have more versatile uses. Today's social engineers show up armed with a blend of the two and that is the reason why social engineering is fast becoming feared. More powerful tools are continually being made. This chapter will discuss the tools commonly used by social engineers in attacks. It will discuss them in the following topics:

• Physical tools
• Software tools
• Phone tools