Communications of the ACM
Utsa Study Shows How Phishing Scams Thrive on Overconfidence
A new study by researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio has found that most people believe they are smarter than the criminals behind phishing schemes, which is why so many fall easily into such a trap.
Credit: UTSA Today
University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) researchers have examined overconfidence in detecting phishing emails, based on the theory that most people believe they are smarter than the criminals behind these schemes.
"Many times, people think they know more than they actually do, and are smarter than someone trying to pull of a scam via an email," says UTSA's H.R. Rao. He notes modern phishing scams often look like messages from companies ordinary people recognize and trust.
The study, which also included University of Texas at Arlington and Columbia College researchers, used an experimental survey that had subjects choose between the genuine and the malicious emails that were created for the project. Afterward, the subjects explained why they made their choices, which enabled the researchers to classify which type of overconfidence was playing a role in their decision-making processes.
"Our study's focus on different types of overconfidence is unique, and allows us to understand why certain tactics appeal to different people," Rao says. "It helps us to figure out ways to teach people to guard against these kinds of methods."
From UTSA Today
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