Stories of Ivo

The Rising Threat of Social Engineering Attacks in the Digital Age

Ivo Pereira
Department of Computer Science
Shri Pancham Khemraj Mahavidyalaya Sawantwadi, Affiliated to University of Mumbai.
Maharashtra, India
ivopereiraix3@gmail.com
https://github.com/ivocreates
https://ivocreates.site
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pereira-ivo

Abstract

As digital infrastructure becomes more secure, malicious actors increasingly exploit the human element through social engineering. These attacks use psychological manipulation rather than technical exploits to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or resources. This paper explores the various forms of social engineering, examines a major real-world case study, and evaluates current mitigation strategies. It highlights the urgent need to reinforce human defenses and increase awareness as social engineering becomes the most common entry point in modern cyberattacks.

Keywords

Cybersecurity, Social Engineering, Phishing, Psychological Exploits, Human Factors, Twitter Hack, Security Awareness

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I. Introduction

The evolution of cybersecurity has led to robust systems employing firewalls, encryption, intrusion detection, and artificial intelligence. However, as technical defenses improve, attackers increasingly shift focus toward the most vulnerable component — the human user. Social engineering manipulates human psychology to achieve objectives that technical exploits might not. In recent years, such attacks have grown more sophisticated and widespread, targeting both individuals and organizations.

II. Related Work / Literature Review

Previous literature outlines the psychological basis and technological vectors of social engineering. Mitnick and Simon [1] argue that trust manipulation is central to successful social attacks. Work by Hadnagy [2] categorizes attack types including phishing, baiting, and pretexting. The Verizon 2023 Data Breach Report [3] notes that over 70% of breaches involve a human element. While technical cybersecurity measures have been rigorously studied, the psychological component has only recently gained prominence in academic discourse.

III. Methodology

This study uses qualitative research based on:

  • Case analysis of publicized social engineering incidents.
  • Review of industry reports from Verizon, MITRE, and Wired Magazine.
  • Classification of attack types based on frequency, target, and method.
  • Evaluation of current countermeasures from major organizations.

IV. Results

The analysis revealed the following:

  • Phishing remains the most prevalent (estimated 3.4 billion daily spam emails [4]).
  • Spear phishing is responsible for high-profile data breaches, including government and corporate targets.
  • Pretexting and tailgating are common in corporate espionage.
  • A lack of employee awareness and policy enforcement significantly contributes to successful attacks.
  • The 2020 Twitter breach demonstrated the danger of failing to train internal support teams in social engineering awareness.

V. Discussion

Social engineering attacks are effective because they exploit human trust, urgency, and fear. Attackers often rely on basic psychological triggers — curiosity, helpfulness, or authority. In the Twitter 2020 breach, attackers impersonated internal IT staff and persuaded employees to provide credentials via phone — a method known as vishing (voice phishing). Despite strong system security, poor human training opened a critical vulnerability.

Prevention requires a multi-layered defense combining technology and human factors:

  • Security awareness programs must be continuous and scenario-based.
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) reduces impact even if credentials are compromised.
  • Simulated phishing drills improve user vigilance.
  • Organizations should establish incident response protocols specific to social engineering threats.

VI. Conclusion

Social engineering represents a growing threat in the cybersecurity landscape. As attackers develop increasingly deceptive strategies to manipulate individuals, technological defenses alone are no longer sufficient. Organizations must prioritize the human aspect of cybersecurity, integrating awareness training, behavioral analysis, and proactive response mechanisms. Only by addressing both technical and psychological vulnerabilities can we build truly secure systems.

References

[1] K. Mitnick and W. Simon, The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security, Wiley, 2002.
[2] C. Hadnagy, Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking, Wiley, 2018.
[3] Verizon, 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report. [Online]. Available: https://www.verizon.com/dbir/2023
[4] A. Greenberg, “Inside the 2020 Twitter Hack,” Wired Magazine, Aug. 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-hack-2020/
[5] MITRE ATT&CK Framework — Social Engineering Tactics. [Online]. Available: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/

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