Establishment of Trust Factors in Social Networking Sites
ABSTRACT
While many individuals use social networking sites to connect and maintain contact, attackers may see social networks as a prime target for spreading malware, propaganda, or marketing. However, most users are keen to trust these sites without being aware of the potential dangers. This paper investigates the factors that lead users to trust these sites and specifically focuses on Facebook as an illustrative example. Survey data is presented to indicate some of these trust factors and to explore their impact on user behaviour. Finally, indicators of potentially deceptive agents and profiles are presented to help users decide whether and to what degree they interact with other users.
AUTHORS
Defense, Peace, Safety and Security Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Namosha Veerasamy obtained a BSc:IT Computer Science Degree, and both a BSc: Computer Science (Honours Degree) and MSc: Computer Science degree with distinction from the University of Pretoria. She also holds a PhD from the University of Johannesburg. She is currently employed as a senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria. Dr Veerasamy is also qualified as a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). She has been involved in cyber security research and governance for over 15 years.
Defense, Peace, Safety and Security Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
William Aubrey Labuschagne started his career in tertiary education in the fields of programming, networking and security. In 2010 he moved to the CSIR and since then contributed on various projects within Cyber Defence. Currently he is a technology researcher in the fields of social media, social engineering and cyber awareness. He is currently completing his masters on how to improve the effectiveness of security awareness programs.
Published In
Journal of Information Warfare
The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.
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