RT Article
T1 Social engineering and the disclosure of personal identifiable information: Examining the relationship and moderating factors using a population-based survey experiment
JF Journal of criminology
VO 56
IS 2/3
SP 278
OP 293
A1 van der Kleij, Rick
A2 van ‘t Hoff—De Goede, Susanne
A2 van de Weijer, Steve
A2 Leukfeldt, E. R. 1982-
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1888371250
AB People tend to disclose personal identifiable information (PII) that could be used by cybercriminals against them. Often, persuasion techniques are used by cybercriminals to trick people to disclose PII. This research investigates whether people can be made less susceptible to persuasion by reciprocation (i.e., making people feel obligated to return a favour) and authority, particularly in regard to whether information security knowledge and positive affect moderate the relation between susceptibility to persuasion and disclosing PII. Data are used from a population-based survey experiment that measured the actual disclosure of PII in an experimental setting (N?=?2426). The results demonstrate a persuasion?disclosure link, indicating that people disclose more PII when persuaded by reciprocation, but not by authority. Knowledge of information security was also found to relate to disclosure. People disclosed less PII when they possessed more knowledge of information security. Positive affect was not related to the disclosure of PII. And contrary to expectations, no moderating effects were found of information security knowledge nor positive affect on the persuasion?disclosure link. Possible explanations are discussed, as well as limitations and future research directions.
K1 Cybersecurity
K1 Cybercrime
K1 data breach
K1 information security knowledge
K1 persuasion techniques
K1 Positive Affect
K1 Self-disclosure
DO 10.1177/26338076231162660