By Abuh Ibrahim Sani
Introduction
As technology continues to evolve, the significance of cybersecurity cannot be underestimated. Cyber threats continue to increase daily, with hackers developing sophisticated tools to carry out heinous acts; individuals and corporate bodies must arm themselves with the basic knowledge and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely.
The challenge of Internet security has grown significantly. Nearly everything we use, see, or come into contact with is online, including wearable technology, home appliances, cell phones, and even partially driverless cars. Businesses, governments, and other institutions may access trade secrets, medical information, and financial data remotely thanks to the Internet. This is the paradox of connectivity; the more interconnected our computer systems are, the more vulnerable they are to data theft, malware, operational disruption, and even outright physical harm to network and hardware infrastructure.
Despite the efforts of industries, corporate bodies and government to protect cyberspace, there is a greater threat which stands as the worst part of threats – the human factor and psychology. No matter the number of security devices like firewalls, intrusion detections, and intrusion prevention tools put in place by organizations can guarantee sufficient security without addressing the human element and its impact on security. The failure to consider human psychological means there is no security. There is a need for education, training, and awareness that cybersecurity is everyone’s business not the sole responsibility of IT professionals or cyber experts. It is a collective effort to protect cyberspace, data and network infrastructure. There is so much ignorance on the issue regarding cybersecurity that needs to be addressed. The absence of basic cybersecurity knowledge makes small and medium enterprises vulnerable to attacks, allowing attackers to steal from people and their assets. There should be a rigorous campaign in public gatherings such as schools, parks, etc. An effective cyberattack against one person frequently leads to a cyberattack against an organisation. Additionally, if they are not trained to recognise the telltale signs of a cyberattack, they may unintentionally allow an attacker in by the front door or rear door.
Cybersecurity is a crucial issue in the digital age, yet its complexities can be intimidating for everyday users. This paper aims to bridge that gap by offering a clear and practical approach to cybersecurity education.
One of the main concerns in safeguarding a country’s cyber sovereignty from hostile activity is through education and awareness. This demonstrates how crucial cybersecurity education is to foster the development of a robust cybersecurity ecosystem promote cyber sovereignty create safe digital and IT infrastructure and services, protect against advanced cyberattacks, and raise people’s knowledge and maturity in cybersecurity.
Global authorities and people alike are increasingly concerned about cybersecurity resilience, especially as people’s awareness of their privacy is growing. Therefore, we assume that educating people about cybersecurity is essential to building a society and businesses that are resilient and secure online.
Understanding Cybersecurity Basic
In a modern world dominated by technology, the term “Cybersecurity” has become important in ensuring the integrity, confidentiality and availability of digital information. Cybersecurity can be described as the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and data from theft, damage, or unauthorized access. It involves developing mechanisms and strategies to defend against a diverse array of cyber threats. In the field of cybersecurity, the biggest threat often lies not in technology, but in the human element. Despite improvements in digital security measures, social engineering attacks continue to exploit the most vulnerable part of any security system; the people who use it. These attacks underscore a significant challenge, as they involve persuading individuals to give out sensitive information or take actions that put security at risk. Cybercriminals are using more and more advanced methods, such as psychological manipulation, to get around technical defences. This study seeks to shed light on the strategies employed in social engineering attacks and highlight the significant impact of human elements in cybersecurity. By identifying and resolving these weaknesses, we can enhance the security of sensitive data and improve overall safety measures. Emphasizing human factors is not just a component of cybersecurity, but it is the key to a strong security plan.
Why Cybersecurity Matters, Even for everyday users?
Cybersecurity might seem like a concern reserved for IT professionals, but that’s not the case. In our increasingly connected world, where our personal and professional lives rely heavily on digital tools, cybersecurity is crucial for everyone.
We entrust a vast amount of sensitive information to online platforms, from financial records ,medical record to personal details. Unfortunately, some of these platforms don’t always have adequate security measures in place. This leaves our information vulnerable to theft and misuse. Every online interaction contributes to building our digital identity. Cybersecurity helps safeguard our privacy by protecting our accounts from unauthorized access and threats. It prevents identity theft and ensures the confidentiality of our information .
In July 2016, The DNC email leak is a prime illustration of how social engineering can result in a significant security breach. Hackers were able to access the DNC’s email system by carrying out a phishing attack. A legitimate Google security team sent an email to DNC staff members, asking them to reset their passwords. When staff clicked the link and entered their login information, they unknowingly gave hackers access to their email accounts. This incident revealed important political communications and caused significant consequences. Social engineering and the significance of securing account recovery protocols, staff training and awareness.
Economic Implications of Cyber Theft
Individuals, businesses and industries are prime targets of cyber threats. For startups and multinational companies, the consequences of cyber-attacks and theft can be devasting and significant, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and even bankruptcy in some terrible cases.
In 2021, Facebook suffered a data breach that leaked users’ information. The breach emerged that a total of 533 million users’ personal information was compromised. The attack cost Facebook a total cost of $3.7 billion. And also, In 2017, Equifax suffered a data breach due to poor cybersecurity handling and management. The breach resulted in approximately 143 million American customers losing their personal information such as social security number, date of birth, driver’s license, addresses and other sensitive information. The company pays compensation to the tune of $ 1.3 billion as a consequence of the data breach. These losses are due to poor measures or negligence by the company which affected individuals. These examples highlight the impact of human error in cyber-attack.
A lack of knowledge and awareness of the importance of cybersecurity has led to many losses. There is an urgent need for an aggressive campaign to educate the masses on how cyber theft can harm their lives and businesses. Business loss and data theft are on the increase daily due to ineffective policy, protection and awareness among the people, resulting in economic loss.
A shared Responsibility
Contrary to the perception and belief of the populace that cybersecurity is a thing of IT professionals, in a real sense, cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. Responsibilities that require the active participation of every individual who interacts in the digital world and outside the platform. Anyone can be a victim of cybercriminals, either online or offline. Every person has a role to play to have a safe cyberspace . These roles range from using a strong password for an online application or platform to knowing who you share information with and what information you share with people. Individuals and corporate bodies are responsible for securing credit cards, debit cards, and other sensitive information. Being vigilant would protect everyone and loved ones from social engineering, phishing and other forms of hackers’ tricks of obtaining information. Phishers do not use advanced technologies; instead, they take advantage of human nature to commit hacking. There is a dearth of knowledge on which ring in the information security chain is first compromised, even though people are more to blame for the chain’s fragility than technology. Research has shown that certain personality traits increase a person’s susceptibility to different types of lures.
To back up the point why cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. In 2021, a Colonial Pipeline Ransome attack resulted in a shortage of fuel across the southeastern United States. The attacker exploited a compromised password to gain access to the company network. This breach demonstrated how a weak password can lead to widespread disruptions. Also in 2020, a Zoom security incident occurred during covid-19 pandemic when a user failed to secure the meeting with a password or used public links which allowed uninvited participants to disrupt the meetings. Individuals need to comprehend and make use of security options offered by platforms, like implementing passwords for meetings and utilizing waiting areas . This scenario shows that cybersecurity is more than just technical solutions; it also involves user behaviour and awareness. Security cannot be achieved by simply installing a robust security system. Ignoring the human factor and failing to raise awareness will lead to security breaches.
Social Engineering (Exploiting Human Psychology)
Social Engineering is an act of obtaining sensitive information from victims through pretence. An attacker could come as a legitimate person and obtain information without the victims verifying their identity before releasing information. Social Engineering is increasing, according to statistics due to technological advancement and attractiveness in the world. Many have fallen for social engineering attacks, and many will still be victims. There is a need for a holistic approach by government and policymakers to develop strategies on how to educate and create awareness for the masses to be aware of whom they share information with and what to share. A zero-base trust mindset should be encouraged. An organization needs to do more to train employees, both recruits and old staff, to be aware of hackers’ tricks. Hackers can pretend to be staff members of a company and come in the way of helping an employee in distress, but in a real sense, it’s an act to obtain valuable information from the staff. Hackers’ tricks involve playing with human thinking and behaviours, the act of deceiving and convincing to get sensitive information about individuals or organizations.
Social engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Unlike other cyber threats that depend on the use of software and online platforms and loopholes in the system, social engineering targets human elements, exploiting their weaknesses and the natural tendency to trust. This can be done offline without the use of any software. It is just a matter of technique and tactics. It is called “Master the Art”.
In July 2020, Twitter experienced a significant breach in which numerous prominent accounts were taken over to endorse a Bitcoin scam. The attackers employed phone spear phishing to deceive Twitter employees into giving access to internal tools. They pretended to be IT department staff and persuaded employees to disclose their credentials during phone calls. Upon gaining entry, the intruders seized verified accounts of significant individuals and businesses, sharing messages requesting Bitcoin from followers with a pledge to double their investment. This event demonstrates how social engineering can be used to target insiders to access important systems. Social engineering attacks can be carried out in different format such phishing, shoulder surfing, malware, phone, social media chat, ransomware, malware, eavesdropping. These are easy because of human error and behaviour toward their information security.
Information security is everyone’s business, it’s your primary responsibility to protect your data from being compromised and stolen. Hackers are aware that human beings are the easier target so they leverage the emotional state, negligence, carelessness, and ignorance to steal information. Many are victims of social engineering and many will still fall because people tend to forget the basic principles of security. It’s human nature, however, all hope is not lost if you take precautionary measures to protect yourself and your organization. Companies with sophisticated security appliances have been hacked due to human error. Protect your password like your life, no one should have access to your password even if the person is the IT of your company. Remember, the protection of your information is your responsibility. No security measure can prevent your data from being stolen if you give free access to the attacker. In simple interpretation, if you leave your door open without locking it, you will know what the outcome would be.