Does Ubuntu Influence Social Engineering Susceptibility?

Abstract

Ubuntu refers to living according to a set of values shared by people who believe in a certain way of life. The values of ubuntu include group solidarity, conformity, compassion, respect, human dignity, a humanistic orientation, and collective unity. Some people consciously live by ubuntu values while others do so unconsciously. Ubuntu is ingrained in human beings. The values of ubuntu in aggregate build trust, which inadvertently feeds into the social engineering approach used in information security attacks. Ubuntu appears to increase vulnerability to the success of a social engineering attack. Social engineering is a key threat to information security in many organizations. Social engineers target employees as human beings are naturally vulnerable.This study argues that ubuntu influences the success of social engineering attacks. It views ubuntu as foundational in making humans vulnerable to social engineers. The values that ubuntu is based on lead humans to trust, conform, be compassionate and loyal, and desire to help others. Social engineers exploit these values to obtain information, which they use to breach the information security of the targeted organization. Because of ubuntu, the extensive work of building rapport and elicitation, which would otherwise have been exhausting, is already completed and ready to be exploited by the social engineer. This paper exposes the potential influence of ubuntu on social engineering attacks. It concludes that security awareness, education and training programmes must be adapted to counter these influences and safeguard information assets.