Engineering solutions to build robust defence against rising scam — possible?

In today’s digitally connected world, the prevalence of cyber scams poses a significant threat to individuals, businesses, and organisations. From phishing emails to fraudulent websites, cybercriminals employ various tactics to deceive and exploit unsuspecting victims for financial gains. As the stakes continue to rise, the need for robust cyber scam prevention measures has never been greater.

Today, let us explore what engineering solutions can and can’t do when it comes to playing a pivotal role in building defences against cyber scams.

Why engineering solutions won’t work

Engineering solutions are powerful tools in the fight against scams, however implementing them alone isn’t always sufficient to provide comprehensive defence. Here are the top three areas which makes it so difficult:

1. Evolving Scam Tactics
2. Resource Limitations
3. Human Elements

1. Evolving Scam Tactics

Scammers are adept at evolving their tactics and techniques to circumvent security measures; they will exploit vulnerabilities that engineers have yet identified and/or devise new social engineering tactics that bypass the technical defences. This requires defenders to constantly build up and update their controls to defend against the scam tactics. Sad to say, this isn’t something every organisation is willing to work on as it needs lots of effort and money, thus giving an edge to scammers.

2. Resource Limitations

The issue with resource limitation organisations may be facing will limit their ability to implement and maintain robust engineering solutions. Scammers, on the other hand, may already have access to sophisticated tools and ready resources, making it challenging for organisations to keep pace. With the advancement of easy access to digital platforms and communication channels, scammers can often exploit system loopholes or vulnerabilities without needing extensive infrastructure or legitimate credentials.

3. Human Elements

Many scams rely on human behaviour, such as trust and gullibility, rather than technical vulnerabilities. While engineering solutions can mitigate certain risks, they don’t address the underlying psychological factors that make individuals susceptible to scams. A common example is the scammer may choose to invoke a sense of urgency, fear, or curiosity to prompt the recipient to take immediate action, clouding their judgement with emotional factors into making a mistake. As the saying goes, humans are the weakest link. By exploiting human psychological factors such as trust, curiosity, and urgency, phishing scammers deceive individuals into taking actions that benefit them at the expense of the victims. It’s essential for individuals to remain vigilant and always verify the authenticity of messages before even taking any decision or action.

Then, which are the areas engineering solutions will be useful in the defence against scam?

Why engineering solutions works

Engineering plays a vital role in developing and implementing effective cyber scam prevention measures. By applying principles of system design, software development, and data analytics, engineers can create robust defences that mitigate the risk of cyber scams and enhance overall cybersecurity posture. Here are some engineering solutions that are very useful in combating cyber scams:

1. Secure Software Development Practices
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
3. User Education and Awareness

1. Secure Software Development Practices

Adopting secure software development practices is paramount in preventing cyber scams. Engineers can integrate security considerations into every stage of the software development lifecycle, from design and coding to testing and deployment. By implementing secure coding standards, performing regular security audits, and conducting thorough code reviews, developers can identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they are exploited by cybercriminals. You may wish to visit some of our articles that we have posted and learn how to be better in this area.

2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

The other very common but very important control to have is the implementation of the multi-factor authentication (MFA). The MFA is a powerful defence mechanism against unauthorised access and account takeover scams. By requiring users to provide multiple forms of verification (e.g. passwords, biometrics, or one-time passcodes), MFA adds an extra layer of security that significantly (and we really mean significantly) reduces the risk of unauthorised access to sensitive accounts and information. It’s because of such controls that scammers find it so difficult to break through, they, then, turn their attentions toward humans — the weakest link — and attempt to use phishing on them to bypass this.

3. User Education and Awareness

While engineering solutions are instrumental in preventing cyber scams, user education and awareness are equally essential. Engineers can develop interactive training programs and awareness campaigns to educate users about common cyber scams, phishing tactics, and best practices for staying safe online. By empowering users with knowledge and skills to recognise and report suspicious activities, organisations can create a human firewall that complements technical defences.

While engineering solutions are crucial components of a comprehensive defence strategy against scams, it’s essential to recognise that no single solution is foolproof. Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, and it still requires multifaceted approaches involving technology, education, and vigilance to effectively combat scams. Therefore, it’s true that engineering solutions can significantly enhance cybersecurity defences, they need to be complemented by other measures (such as regulatory frameworks, law enforcement efforts, and public awareness campaigns) to address the complex and evolving nature of scams effectively.

So our conclusion is — though a pure engineering solution does add on to advantage in defence, it alone can’t solve the issue of scam; there’s a need to consider other approaches, especially those involving the human factors.

🧙🏼‍♀Team Merlin 💛
Application security is not any individual’s problem but a shared responsibility.