Socioeconomic Challenges of Social Engineering and Ensuring Cybersecurity in Mobile Device Use

This study investigates the implications of social engineering attacks on mobile device security in the UAE, situating these threats within broader socioeconomic challenges. It employs a mixed methodology to understand both quantitative patterns and qualitative experiences of mobile device users across the seven emirates. The study combines large-scale survey data from 1,247 respondents with 45 in-depth qualitative interviews conducted between November 2024 and February 2025 to examine mobile-based social engineering vulnerabilities in the UAE. It examines demographic factors, cultural influences, technology adoption patterns, and vulnerability to various social engineering attack vectors, including SMS phishing, voice phishing, and mobile application-based deception. The results indicate that social engineering attacks are widespread among UAE mobile users. Age, educational background, and cultural factors, such as trust in authority and collectivist communication trends, influence vulnerability. Qualitative analysis outlines technological empowerment, cultural trust patterns, language barriers in security messaging, and the generational digital divide, as well as inadequate security awareness programs, as critical themes. The results also prove that social engineering attacks targeting mobile devices in the UAE exploit both universal human psychology and culture-specific trust patterns, thus deepening existing socioeconomic challenges related to digital inequality and cyber risk exposure. The study further reemphasizes the need for policymakers to develop culturally adapted security education programs that address the intersection of mobile security vulnerabilities and socioeconomic challenges to build a more resilient digital environment.

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