Vulnerability analysis in the university community using social engineering and phishing applications
Javier Guaña–Moya, Sofía Villacís, Livio Miniguano · Data & Metadata · 2025
The project focused on analyzing the impact of social engineering on the security of confidential information in a university community, highlighting the risks which individuals are exposed to when falling victim to such an attack. To this end, a controlled phishing attack was implemented to identify the main vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized access to personal data. The methodology used was descriptive, allowing for the analysis of factors such as the type of passwords used and the level of prior knowledge of social engineering. The results revealed that the group most affected by the attack was people between 23 and 27 years of age, representing 27,5 % of the total, followed by older adults between 58 and 63 years of age at 19,6 %, demonstrating that both young and older adults are the most susceptible. Furthermore, it was found that 43,1 % of users used passwords composed of names and numbers, reflecting a low complexity in their construction. Only 5,9 % used password managers, and only 11,8% incorporated special characters, indicating a low adoption of secure practices. The first phase of the attack, investigative in nature, was key to identifying exploitable personal patterns. Finally, after an awareness campaign was launched, it became clear that the main cause of vulnerability is a lack of knowledge about social engineering, highlighting the importance of strengthening cybersecurity education within the academic environment.