Location
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
Event Website
https://hicss.hawaii.edu/
Start Date
7-1-2025 12:00 AM
End Date
10-1-2025 12:00 AM
Description
Despite the importance of information security training programs, employees often lack the motivation and engagement to participate in these initiatives. On the other hand, the information security literature has examined the motivational effect of fear appeals (persuasive messages) on individuals’ protective behaviors. It is thought that the perceived level of threat severity and susceptibility communicated in fear appeals arouse fear, thereby motivating individuals to protect themselves from the threat. The present study compared the effect of high and low threat susceptibility in fear appeal messages on employees' information security training behavior and subsequent protective behaviors. The results suggest that employees who were subjected to a higher threat susceptibility message were more likely to complete the suggested training, and when trained, were less likely to fall victims to a simulated phishing attack compared to those who completed the training in the low susceptibility group.
Recommended Citation
Shuraida, Shadi, "You’ve been Phished! The Effect of Threat Susceptibility in Fear Appeal Messages on Employee Security Training Motivation and Learning" (2025). Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2025 (HICSS-58). 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/in/behavioral_is_security/3
You’ve been Phished! The Effect of Threat Susceptibility in Fear Appeal Messages on Employee Security Training Motivation and Learning
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
Despite the importance of information security training programs, employees often lack the motivation and engagement to participate in these initiatives. On the other hand, the information security literature has examined the motivational effect of fear appeals (persuasive messages) on individuals’ protective behaviors. It is thought that the perceived level of threat severity and susceptibility communicated in fear appeals arouse fear, thereby motivating individuals to protect themselves from the threat. The present study compared the effect of high and low threat susceptibility in fear appeal messages on employees' information security training behavior and subsequent protective behaviors. The results suggest that employees who were subjected to a higher threat susceptibility message were more likely to complete the suggested training, and when trained, were less likely to fall victims to a simulated phishing attack compared to those who completed the training in the low susceptibility group.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/in/behavioral_is_security/3