A Comparative Analysis of Ethical Hacking Techniques for Detecting Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks

Abstract

Social engineering and phishing attacks are among the most common and harmful cyber threats. They target human behavior instead of relying on weaknesses in technical systems. A large portion of today's cyber incidents stems from phishing and related social engineering tactics. This makes them a top concern for organizations worldwide. Ethical hacking offers a proactive and controlled way to assess how well organizations can cope with these threats. This paper presents a method-driven analysis of ethical hacking techniques used to identify social engineering and phishing vulnerabilities. It employs a mixed-method research design that combines simulated phishing experiments, controlled social engineering penetration testing, and statistical analysis of detection results. The study reviews technical, human-centered, and hybrid ethical hacking methods. The findings reveal notable differences in detection success across these techniques. Each approach has its benefits and drawbacks. This paper provides a framework with evidence to help cyber security professionals, researchers, and policymakers choose effective and ethical testing methods.

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