What is the best countermeasure against social engineering?

As an AI language model, I cannot be biased towards any specific countermeasure as the "best" one. However, these are some popular ways to counter social engineering:

1. Training and awareness: Educating individuals about social engineering tactics and methods can go a long way. It is important to teach employees, students, or any potential target to be skeptical, vigilant, and to think critically before acting.

2. Strong authentication methods: Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) or other strong authentication protocols can go a long way towards protecting against social engineering attacks. This adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password.

3. Policies and protocols: Establishing clear policies and protocols for handling sensitive information can limit the success of social engineering attacks. For example, enforcing a policy that employees should never reveal login credentials or sensitive information to anyone on the phone or email.

4. Continuous Monitoring: Regular review and monitoring of IT security procedures as well as communications can help identify potential attacks or breaches and prevent them.

It is important to note that no single countermeasure can completely eliminate social engineering. A combination of approaches can help reduce the risk and increase protection against social engineering attacks.