Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
Cyber sextortion attacks are security and privacy threats delivered to victims online, to distribute sexual material in order to force the victim to act against their will. This continues to be an under-addressed concern in society. This study investigated social engineering and phishing email desig...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Future Internet |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/1/29 |
| _version_ | 1797442250470326272 |
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| author | Brent Pethers Abubakar Bello |
| author_facet | Brent Pethers Abubakar Bello |
| author_sort | Brent Pethers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cyber sextortion attacks are security and privacy threats delivered to victims online, to distribute sexual material in order to force the victim to act against their will. This continues to be an under-addressed concern in society. This study investigated social engineering and phishing email design and influence techniques in susceptibility to cyber sextortion attacks. Using a quantitative methodology, a survey measured susceptibility to cyber sextortion with a focus on four different email design cues. One-way repeated measures ANOVA, post hoc comparison tests, Friedman nonparametric test, and Spearman correlation tests were conducted with results indicating that attention to email source and title/subject line significantly increased individuals’ susceptibility, while attention to grammar and spelling, and urgency cues, had lesser influence. As such, the influence of these message-related factors should be considered when implementing effective security controls to mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities to cyber sextortion attacks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:39:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a3a53728e83d4f5c9415babe6179ae87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-5903 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:39:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Internet |
| spelling | doaj.art-a3a53728e83d4f5c9415babe6179ae872023-11-30T22:20:45ZengMDPI AGFuture Internet1999-59032023-01-011512910.3390/fi15010029Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing AttacksBrent Pethers0Abubakar Bello1School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, AustraliaSchool of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, AustraliaCyber sextortion attacks are security and privacy threats delivered to victims online, to distribute sexual material in order to force the victim to act against their will. This continues to be an under-addressed concern in society. This study investigated social engineering and phishing email design and influence techniques in susceptibility to cyber sextortion attacks. Using a quantitative methodology, a survey measured susceptibility to cyber sextortion with a focus on four different email design cues. One-way repeated measures ANOVA, post hoc comparison tests, Friedman nonparametric test, and Spearman correlation tests were conducted with results indicating that attention to email source and title/subject line significantly increased individuals’ susceptibility, while attention to grammar and spelling, and urgency cues, had lesser influence. As such, the influence of these message-related factors should be considered when implementing effective security controls to mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities to cyber sextortion attacks.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/1/29cybersecurityprivacysextortionphishingsocial engineering |
| spellingShingle | Brent Pethers Abubakar Bello Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks Future Internet cybersecurity privacy sextortion phishing social engineering |
| title | Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks |
| title_full | Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks |
| title_fullStr | Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks |
| title_short | Role of Attention and Design Cues for Influencing Cyber-Sextortion Using Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks |
| title_sort | role of attention and design cues for influencing cyber sextortion using social engineering and phishing attacks |
| topic | cybersecurity privacy sextortion phishing social engineering |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/1/29 |
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