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The psychology of social engineering
Cyber Security: A Peer-Reviewed Journal,
6
(3),
261-274
(2023)
Abstract
Social engineering is an ever-growing threat to organisations and people. This paper discusses the psychology behind social engineering and why it is still an effective strategy for criminals, nation states and hacktivists. The tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) described in this paper may help you identify threat actors/groups and aid in identifying emerging threats and developing appropriate countermeasures and awareness.
Keywords: social engineering; information security; cyber security; psychology; cognitive bias
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Barry Coatesworth is a Director with Guidehouse’s Global Energy, Sustainability and Infrastructure (ES&I) Practice. He has over 30 years’ experience in energy, finance and public sector working within risk, compliance and security. An internationally recognised cyber security expert and adviser, Barry is part of the Industry Advisory Group for the Cyber Essential Scheme in conjunction with UK’s Department of Business, Energy and Industry Strategy, as well as a research adviser to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) on big data, ethics and privacy.
