2026-10-15T08:22:50Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/31378678 2026-05-27T11:25:13Z category_29086 category_28924 category_29122 portal_753 item_type_3 month_year_05_2026

Factors that make teams susceptible to deception and develop a defensive framework for detecting and mitigating social engineering (SE) risks Ofentse Makhubedu (23223892) Information security management Cybersecurity and privacy not elsewhere classified Human information behaviour Social engineering Online risk management Information security Computer literacy Digital literacy Defensive framework Social engineering threats SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure <p dir="ltr">This study addresses the need for effective collaborative work in the context of social engineering (SE) risks. The study aimed to identify the factors that make teams more susceptible to deception and develop a framework for detecting and mitigating SE attempts. The primary goal is to develop a guideline to advise research teams on vulnerabilities to SE threats in collaborative environments, enabling team members to enhance information security while maintaining effective knowledge sharing and teamwork. The sample was determined through census sampling. This study follows an interpretivist paradigm, employing a quantitative approach for data collection. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to interpret the results. Data was collected through an online questionnaire containing both open- and closed-ended questions. A link to the online questionnaire was distributed to IT professionals and cybersecurity specialists. Participants emphasised the importance of team-based accountability and secure collaboration protocols, particularly on platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace. Respondents supported a standardised digital literacy framework and accessible online training materials. </p> 2026-05-27T11:25:13Z Dataset Dataset 10.25403/UPresearchdata.31378678.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Factors_that_make_teams_susceptible_to_deception_and_develop_a_defensive_framework_for_detecting_and_mitigating_social_engineering_SE_risks/31378678 CC BY 4.0