Effective Strategies to Prevent Confidential Data Leaks through Social Engineering

Preventing Confidential Data Leaks through Social Engineering

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Question

An IS auditor finds that confidential company data has been inadvertently leaked through social engineering.

The MOST effective way to help prevent a recurrence of this issue is to implement:

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

C.

The most effective way to prevent a recurrence of confidential company data leakage through social engineering is to implement a security awareness program (Option C).

Explanation:

Social engineering is a technique used by attackers to manipulate people into divulging confidential information or performing actions that are harmful to an organization. A well-crafted social engineering attack can bypass even the strongest security controls, making it a significant threat to organizations.

Penalizing staff for security policy breaches (Option A) may help to deter individuals from engaging in risky behavior, but it is not an effective solution for preventing social engineering attacks. Even the most security-aware individuals can fall victim to a social engineering attack. Additionally, relying on penalties to enforce security policies may create a culture of fear that does not promote a healthy security posture.

Implementing a third-party intrusion prevention solution (Option B) can help to prevent external attacks, but it is not an effective solution for preventing social engineering attacks. Social engineering attacks rely on manipulating people rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities, so an intrusion prevention solution would not be effective in preventing this type of attack.

Data loss prevention (DLP) software (Option D) can help to prevent accidental or intentional data leakage, but it is not an effective solution for preventing social engineering attacks. DLP software is designed to monitor and control the movement of data within an organization. It is not effective in preventing social engineering attacks, which rely on manipulating people to gain access to confidential information.

Implementing a security awareness program (Option C) is the most effective solution for preventing social engineering attacks. A security awareness program educates employees on the risks of social engineering and provides them with the knowledge and tools to identify and respond to social engineering attacks. By increasing employees' awareness of social engineering, organizations can significantly reduce the likelihood of successful attacks.