Mitigating social engineering for improved cybersecurity

In this paper, Social Engineering threats and trends are investigated and mitigation strategies recommended. The national and economic security of countries now relies on the Cyberspace because virtually all businesses processes are using the Internet. Unfortunately, Cyber-criminality is increasing and rated the fastest growing crime worldwide. Social engineering, a technique whereby cybercriminals trick their victims into disclosing log-in information without using any technical gadget has been identified as one of the most dangerous threats of our time. Due to the fact that any identity theft or breach in an organization´s information system resulting in disclosure of sensitive information could have far-reaching consequences such as financial losses, disruption of services, damage to public image, or even bringing the organization or a nation to a complete standstill, this paper x-rayed most prevalent social engineering attacks, their typical tools and recommended mitigation strategies.