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arXiv · 2401.13199

Why People Still Fall for Phishing Emails: An Empirical Investigation into How Users Make Email Response Decisions

Asangi Jayatilaka·Nalin Asanka Gamagedara Arachchilage·Muhammad Ali Babar
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Abstract

Despite technical and non-technical countermeasures, humans continue to be tricked by phishing emails. How users make email response decisions is a missing piece in the puzzle to identifying why people still fall for phishing emails. We conducted an empirical study using a think-aloud method to investigate how people make 'response decisions' while reading emails. The grounded theory analysis of the in-depth qualitative data has enabled us to identify different elements of email users' decision-making that influence their email response decisions. Furthermore, we developed a theoretical model that explains how people could be driven to respond to emails based on the identified elements of users' email decision-making processes and the relationships uncovered from the data. The findings provide deeper insights into phishing email susceptibility due to people's email response decision-making behavior. We also discuss the implications of our findings for designers and researchers working in anti-phishing training, education, and awareness interventions

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Asangi Jayatilaka, Nalin Asanka Gamagedara Arachchilage, Muhammad Ali Babar. 2024-01-24. Why People Still Fall for Phishing Emails: An Empirical Investigation into How Users Make Email Response Decisions. https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.13199

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