The Cybersecurity Awareness Experience: A Masterclass in Social Engineering, Behavioral Psychology, and Digital Self-Defense

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• Paul Draper
• Wednesday 25 February 2026, 15:05-15:55
• Lecture Theatre 1, Computer Laboratory, William Gates Building.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Ben Karniely.

Short Description: An interactive look at how people, not machines, often decide the outcome of security breaches. Mentalist and anthropologist Paul Draper demonstrates how social engineers work and offers practical ways to strengthen everyday cyber awareness: Using live demonstrations and performance mentalism to make the lessons unforgettable.

Abstract: Technical tools keep improving, yet many successful attacks still begin with a simple human mistake. Most breaches start with someone who was persuaded, pressured, or misdirected at just the right moment. This seminar focuses on that human side of cybersecurity.

Paul Draper, a mentalist and anthropologist who studies deception, walks the audience through the thinking patterns that social engineers rely on. Using real cases along with live mentalism demonstrations, he shows how attackers take advantage of trust, curiosity, politeness, and even stress.

These examples highlight how easily people can be influenced during routine digital interactions. 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 experience firsthand how assumptions and quick decisions create openings that technical defenses cannot always block.

Participants will leave with clear, practical steps for improving their own security habits and for recognizing common manipulation strategies. The goal is to help students and faculty respond to digital threats with greater awareness, confidence, and even a sense of wonder.

Speaker Bio: Paul W. Draper is an anthropologist and professional mentalist whose work focuses on deception, attention, and human behavior. He is the official mentalist for Disneyland, has served on the council for the Magic Circle in London, and headlined at the Venetian 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 well as multiple times for employees at Bentley, Apple, and Meta/Facebook HQ.

Draper 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 through Wiley Press and the American Anthropological Association. In New York state, attorneys are required to complete his cybersecurity seminar through Reuters as part of their continuing legal education.

Draper combines insights from cognitive anthropology with live mentalism and stage performance to help audiences understand how people are influenced and how those same mechanisms shape digital security. The result is a seminar that informs, entertains, and leaves a lasting impression.

Posters and Photos: https://pauldraper.com/information-and-media/

Link to join virtually: https://cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89473073451

This talk is being recorded. If you do not wish to be seen in the recording, please avoid sitting in the front three rows of seats in the lecture theatre. Any questions asked will also be included in the recording. The recording will be made available on the Department’s webpage

This talk is part of the Wednesday Seminars - Department of Computer Science and Technology series.

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