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Phishing for Long Tails: Examining Organizational Repeat Clickers and Protective Stewards

February 1, 2021

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This study examines employee behaviors in response to phishing attacks within a large university, analyzing data from over 6,000 employees across 20 mock phishing campaigns. The research identifies both negative behaviors, such as clicking on phishing links and entering data, and positive behaviors, like reporting phishing attempts. It reveals the existence of "repeat clicker" and "repeat reporter" phenomena and categorizes employees into four behavioral clusters: “Gaffes,” “Beacons,” “Spectators,” and “Gushers,” each showing varying levels of phishing engagement and reporting. These findings offer a foundation for further research into employee responses to phishing, aiming to enhance organizational cybersecurity.

Authors:

Matthew Canham, Clay Posey, Delainey Strickland, Michael Constantino

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