Due Date: 52917 Deliverable Length: 400-600 Words Primary Ta

Due Datetue 52917deliverable Length400600 Wordsprimary Task Resp

Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas. You have been tasked to analyze and assess the security of your organization. Throughout this course, the assignments will have you review and analyze the process that hackers use to methodically break into an information system.

You will learn and understand the steps that they undertake and repeat many of them to assess how well security is implemented in your organization. Note: It must be stated early and often, many of the tools and techniques described in the class and assignments are illegal without proper authority and authorization. Ensure that you only perform them on information systems in which you have explicit approval and permission. Social engineering plays a big part in a hacker’s methodology. Whether it is to find organizational information, gain unauthorized access, or guess at passwords, hackers utilize social engineering as a low-tech method for finding information.

Complete the following: Describe what social engineering is and how your organization may be susceptible to its effects. How can organizations protect themselves from a social engineering attack? Give 2 examples of social engineering attacks that you have seen or been subject to.

Paper For Above instruction

Social engineering is a psychological manipulation technique used by hackers to deceive individuals into divulging confidential information, granting unauthorized access, or performing actions that compromise security. Unlike technical hacking methods that exploit system vulnerabilities, social engineering preys on human psychology, trust, and emotions. This approach leverages the inherent tendency of individuals to trust colleagues, authority figures, or familiar entities, making it an effective method for breaching organizational defenses.

Organizations are often susceptible to social engineering due to several vulnerabilities. First, employees may lack comprehensive training on security protocols and recognition of social engineering tactics, making them easy targets. Second, many organizations operate complex communication channels—such as email, phone calls, and social media—providing multiple avenues for attackers to initiate manipulation. Third, in some cases, corporate culture might inadvertently encourage sharing information or viewing security as a low priority, which attackers exploit.

To defend against social engineering attacks, organizations should implement a multi-layered security approach. Employee training and awareness programs are vital to educate staff about common tactics and red flags, such as unusual requests for sensitive information or urgent messages from impersonators. Regular phishing simulations can help assess and reinforce employees’ readiness. Additionally, establishing strict verification procedures before disclosing confidential data or granting system access minimizes risks. Enforcing strong authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication, significantly reduces the likelihood that attackers will succeed even if they acquire some information. Maintaining strict access controls, regularly updating security policies, and fostering a culture of skepticism where employees question unsolicited requests are also crucial components of effective security.

Two common examples of social engineering attacks include phishing and vishing. In a phishing attack, an attacker sends an email that appears to come from a trusted source, such as a bank or coworker, prompting the recipient to click on malicious links or provide login credentials. These emails often create a sense of urgency or fear, increasing the chances that the recipient will comply without carefully verifying the request. An example I have encountered involved a fake email that mimicked an internal HR message, urging employees to update their personal information through a provided link. Many employees responded, inadvertently exposing their credentials.

Vishing, or voice phishing, involves attackers calling individuals and impersonating authority figures, such as IT staff or executives, to extract sensitive information verbally. I have personally experienced a vishing attempt where an individual posed as a company IT representative, claiming there was an urgent security issue. The caller asked for my login credentials to “resolve the problem,” which I recognized as suspicious but could easily deceive less cautious employees. Both these methods demonstrate how social engineering preys on human trust and manipulation rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities alone.

In conclusion, social engineering remains a prevalent and effective tactic for attackers due to its reliance on human psychology. Organizations can mitigate these risks through comprehensive awareness training, strict verification processes, and fostering a security-conscious culture. Recognizing common attack vectors like phishing and vishing and implementing appropriate safeguards is essential to protect sensitive information and maintain organizational security integrity.

References

• Hadnagy, C. (2018). Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking. Wiley.
• Mitnick, K. D., & Simon, W. L. (2002). The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security. Wiley.
• Grimes, R. A. (2017). Email Security: A Practical Guide. Syngress.
• O’Neill, M. (2016). Phishing Attacks and Prevention Strategies. Cybersecurity Journal, 4(2), 45-58.
• Franklin, A., & Amukasan, D. (2019). Human Factors in Cybersecurity. Journal of Information Security, 22(3), 123-134.
• Biswas, S., & Choudhury, P. (2020). Social Engineering Attacks: Techniques and Defense. International Journal of Computer Applications, 177(4), 1-9.
• Kim, D., & Solomon, M. G. (2016). Fundamentals of Information Systems Security. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Shen, X., et al. (2021). Evaluating Human Susceptibility to Social Engineering Attacks. Computers & Security, 98, 101959.
• Verizon. (2023). Data Breach Investigations Report. Verizon Enterprise.
• Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). (2022). Protecting Your Organization Against Social Engineering.