# A Human Dimension of Hacking: Social Engineering through Social Media

**Authors:** Heidi Wilcox, Maumita Bhattacharya  
**arXiv:** [2005.04049](https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.04049)  
**Date:** 2020-05-08  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2005.04049v1/

## Key points

- Social engineering through social media is a significant threat to organizational information security.
- Attackers exploit human naiveté or error, posing challenges to traditional security measures.
- Abundance of personal information on social networks allows attackers to breach company networks by targeting employees.
- Organizations need comprehensive policies and guidelines for information security to combat this threat.
- Perspectives and practices regarding information security related to social media vary across different global regions.
- Research in Australian organizations revealed diverse views and practices on social media usage and information security.
- More efforts are needed to enhance protection against security threats from social media platforms.
- Tailored approaches are necessary to effectively address emerging cybersecurity challenges posed by social engineering tactics through social media.

## Summary

Social engineering through social media has become a significant threat to organizational information security. This was highlighted in the study "A Human Dimension of Hacking: Social Engineering through Social Media" by Heidi Wilcox and Maumita Bhattacharya. This form of attack exploits human naiveté or error and poses challenges to traditional security measures. With the abundance of personal information available on social networks, attackers can easily breach company networks by targeting employees. To combat this threat, it is crucial for organizations to implement comprehensive policies and guidelines for information security. However, perspectives and practices vary across different global regions. A research conducted in Australian organizations - both public and private - revealed diverse views and practices regarding information security related to social media usage. These findings suggest that more efforts are needed to enhance protection against security threats stemming from the adoption of social media platforms. Overall, the study sheds light on the evolving landscape of social engineering tactics through social media and emphasizes the need for tailored approaches to effectively address these emerging cybersecurity challenges.