A framework to mitigate phishing threats

Frauenstein, Edwin Donald

Title: A framework to mitigate phishing threats
Creator: Frauenstein, Edwin Donald
Subject: Computer networks -- Security measures
Subject: Mobile computing -- Security measures
Subject: Online social networks -- Security measures
Date Issued: 2013
Date: 2013
Type: Thesis
Type: Masters
Type: MTech
Identifier: vital:9832
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021208
Description: We live today in the information age with users being able to access and share information freely by using both personal computers and their handheld devices. This, in turn, has been made possible by the Internet. However, this poses security risks as attempts are made to use this same environment in order to compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for users and organisations to protect their information resources from agents posing a security threat. Organisations typically spend large amounts of money as well as dedicating resources to improve their technological defences against general security threats. However, the agents posing these threats are adopting social engineering techniques in order to bypass the technical measures which organisations are putting in place. These social engineering techniques are often effective because they target human behaviour, something which the majority of researchers believe is a far easier alternative than hacking information systems. As such, phishing effectively makes use of a combination of social engineering techniques which involve crafty technical emails and website designs which gain the trust of their victims. Within an organisational context, there are a number of areas which phishers exploit. These areas include human factors, organisational aspects and technological controls. Ironically, these same areas serve simultaneously as security measures against phishing attacks. However, each of these three areas mentioned above are characterised by gaps which arise as a result of human involvement. As a result, the current approach to mitigating phishing threats comprises a single-layer defence model only. However, this study proposes a holistic model which integrates each of these three areas by strengthening the human element in each of these areas by means of a security awareness, training and education programme.
Format: xiii, 247 leaves
Format: pdf
Publisher: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Publisher: Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology
Language: English
Rights: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

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