Purdue University Graduate School
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EXPLORING PHISHING SUSCEPTIBILITY ATTRIBUTABLE TO AUTHORITY, URGENCY, RISK PERCEPTION AND HUMAN FACTORS

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thesis
posted on 2020-07-30, 18:27 authored by Priyanka TiwariPriyanka Tiwari

Security breaches nowadays are not limited to technological orientation. Research in the information security domain is gradually shifting towards human behavioral orientation toward breaches that target weaknesses arising from human behaviors (Workman et al., 2007). Currently, social engineering breaches are more effective than many technical attacks. In fact, the majority of cyber assaults have a social engineering component. Social Engineering is the art of manipulating human flaws towards a malicious objective (Breda et al., 2017). In the likely future, social engineering will be the most predominant attack vector within cyber security (Breda et al., 2017). Human failures, persuasion and social influences are key elements to understand when considering security behaviors. With the increasing concerns for social engineering and advancements in human factors-based technology, phishing emails are becoming more prevalent in exploiting human factors and external factors. Such factors have been researched upon in pairs, not overall. Till date, there is not much research done to identify the collaborative links between authority, urgency, risk perception and human factors such as personality traits, and knowledge. This study investigates about phishing email characters, external influences, human factors influences, and their collaborative effects.

History

Degree Type

  • Master of Science

Department

  • Computer and Information Technology

Campus location

  • West Lafayette

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

Dr. Ida Ngambeki

Additional Committee Member 2

Dr. John Springer

Additional Committee Member 3

Dr. Baijian Yang