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Impact of Social Engineering Attacks: A Literature Review

Abstract:

Social engineering is the practice, which allows attackers to obtain sensitive or confidential information froma user of a system or organization, exploiting specific characteristics of the human being. This is considered to be still one of the most threatening attacks within the digital world. The current study aims to explore social engineering attacks with significant impact. We conducted a systematic literature review from 2011 to 2020, applying the Barbara Kitchenham Methodological Guide. The main findings are concentrated in companies, financial institutions, and even vehicle vulnerabilities, which has caused economic losses and a decrease in the image and reputation loss damage of individuals and companies. Most of the causes are related to human behavior, such as innocence, unconsciousness, and lack of training or capacity. The primary victims are newly contracted workers, people with a certain lack of knowledge, celebrities, politicians, and middle and senior managers. Furthermore, social networks and e-mail are the primary sources from which attacks occur. Finally, we identified that Phishing and Ransomware are the most significant attacks on companies and individuals.