14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) have conducted an experiment to determine if there is a link between an individual’s personality and the chances that they would fall victim to a phishing scam.
100 students from an undergraduate psychology class were selected and asked about their online habits and beliefs. They’ve been also asked to rate the likelihood of having their passwords stolen or other similar negative things that could happen to them online. In addition, they took a multidimensional personality assessment survey.
Once this phase of the experiment was over, they were sent phishing emails that promised them prizes in return for some personal information. The researchers made sure that the emails contained spelling and grammar errors, and other clues that can usually help users determine if an offer is legitimate or not.
17% of the students fell for the scam. Interestingly, the group had considerable computer knowledge.
Most of the victims were women. However, researchers have determined that women who, according to the personality assessment they took, were neurotic, were most likely to fall for the scam.
The study hasn’t found any link between men’s personalities and their vulnerability to phishing attacks. Also, no correlation has been found between computer security knowledge levels and the likelihood of being phished.
When it comes to sharing information online, those with open personalities tend to share most information on social media websites. These types of individuals are also more likely to have the least restrictive privacy settings on their accounts.
“These results tell us that personality characteristics may exert considerable influence when it comes to choices about online behavior, and that they may even override awareness of online threats,” said James Lewis, instructor in the NYU-Poly Department of Science, Technology and Society.
Lewis added, “In the moment, it appears that computer users may be more focused on the possibility of winning a prize or the perceived benefits of sharing information on Facebook, and that these gains distract from potentially damaging outcomes.”