SOCIAL ENGINEERING AND DIGITAL FRAUD: STUDYING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VICTIMS OF CYBER PHISHING IN LIGHT OF SOME VARIABLES

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to reveal differences in the levels of exposure to social engineering among victims of cyber deception, in light of a number of demographic variables, including: gender, age, educational stage, and educational level. The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach, being the most appropriate for the nature of the problem and the objectives of statistical analysis of differences. Method: The study sample consisted of (164) male and female students (77 males,87 females) who were selected by a simple random sample method from the student community of the College of Science and Arts, the study sample consisted of (164) male and female students who are victims of electronic deception, they were selected using a simple random sample. The study used the scale of social engineering (Abdel Tawab, 2021). Results: The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the socio-technical engineering dimension according to the gender variable or the most commonly used electronic application variable. On the other hand, significant differences appeared in the dimension of human social engineering and the overall scale in favor of older students (26 years and over) and diploma students. Meta-analyses also showed that the age group (18–25) recorded lower levels of exposure to cyber deception, and the results revealed that the age, educational level and most commonly used application had statistically significant effects on exposure to social engineering, particularly in human-based tactics and on the public domain. In contrast, sex showed little effect. These findings highlight the importance of targeting specific demographic groups in outreach programs to promote digital safety among university students. Recommendations: The study recommends designing awareness programs targeting the most vulnerable groups, especially diploma students and older students, and integrating digital security concepts into university curricula.