Phishing is among the most common attack vectors against organizations, institutions, and individuals. However, previous research on phishing susceptibility has usually primarily been performed in professional or academic contexts, thus rendering the target domain of private persons understudied. We explore this domain by conducting a large-scale study with participants in Germany, attempting to translate findings from previous research in academic or professional contexts to the private context. We sent over 14,000 phishing emails to approximately 4,700 recipients throughout four months. We observed increased susceptibility for younger and older persons and those with lower education degrees. Further, we identify that a previous reaction to phishing emails is the best indicator of future susceptibility. We highlight that various vectors identified in previous research translate to the private context.

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We have Phishing at Home: Quantitative Study on Email Phishing Susceptibility in Private Contexts

  • Daniel Köhler,
  • Wenzel Pünter,
  • Christoph Meinel

摘要

Phishing is among the most common attack vectors against organizations, institutions, and individuals. However, previous research on phishing susceptibility has usually primarily been performed in professional or academic contexts, thus rendering the target domain of private persons understudied. We explore this domain by conducting a large-scale study with participants in Germany, attempting to translate findings from previous research in academic or professional contexts to the private context. We sent over 14,000 phishing emails to approximately 4,700 recipients throughout four months. We observed increased susceptibility for younger and older persons and those with lower education degrees. Further, we identify that a previous reaction to phishing emails is the best indicator of future susceptibility. We highlight that various vectors identified in previous research translate to the private context.