Hanoi, Vietnam
UDC 159.9
UDC 343.9
UDC 004
Introduction. The article examines Vietnam’s “5-NOs” rule as a behavioral cybercrime prevention model against social engineering crimes. Drawing on case study analysis and theoretical cross-examination, the study analyzes how social engineering exploits cognitive vulnerability, emotional pressure, trust, urgency, and authority to manipulate victims’ decision-making. In the context of industrialized scam centers, transnational cyber fraud, and AI-enhanced deception, the article argues that effective prevention requires not only technical cybersecurity measures but also the strengthening of human cognitive protection capacity. Based on an analysis of the psychological underpinnings of cybercrime, it has been shown that social engineering exploits cognitive vulnerabilities, emotional pressure, a psychological predisposition to trust, and factors such as urgency and the speaker’s authority to manipulate the victim’s decision-making process. Methods: general scientific methods of information processing (analysis, synthesis, specification) and discipline-specific methodology (case studies) are used to generalize and specify our understanding of behavioral strategies for countering cybercrimes committed through social engineering. Results. The findings suggest that Vietnam’s “5-NOs” rule functions as a practical “Human Firewall” mechanism by translating critical thinking into simple behavioral refusal principles: no fear, no greed, no disclosure, no access, and no transfer. The article contributes to cybercrime prevention literature by positioning the Vietnamese experience as a community-based cognitive prevention model that may offer useful policy implications for countries facing similar social engineering threats.
social engineering, Human Firewall, behavioral decision-making, “5-NOs” rule, cybercrime prevention, behavioral psychology, cognitive management, social prevention ecosystem
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