Social Engineering: The Looming Threat

Abstract

Social Engineering can be performed using many different vectors. A range of people are subject to one of these attacks. Cyber attacks are normally seen as highly technological attacks carried out by someone with a great knowledge of computer systems. These attacks can be as simple as going through the garbage for information or looking over someone’s shoulder and reading the content on their monitor. Social Engineering attacks are an attack that is going to become a greater threat and require more attention with the increased use of IoT devices used for communication. These attacks tend to follow an attack framework to accomplish a goal involving destruction, unauthorized access or to obtain monetary value. The prevention of these attacks starts with the human hence the use of the word social. Mitigation relies on educating the persons the attack will be intended for as well as being able to identify the specific attack and acting accordingly. This paper will focus on the explanation and implementation of the Social Engineering Attack Framework as well as the mitigations to the different types of attacks.