A B S T R A C TAlthough phishing is a form of cybercrime that internet users get confronted with rather frequently, many people still get deceived by these practices. Since receiving phishing e-mails is an important prerequisite of victimization, this study focusses on becoming a phishing target. More precisely, we use an integrative lifestyle exposure model to study the effects of risky online routine activities that make a target more likely to come across a motivated offender. Insights of the lifestyle exposure model are combined with propensity theories in order to determine which role impulsivity plays in phishing targeting. To achieve these objectives, data collected in 2016 from a representative sample (n = 723) were used. Support was found for a relationship between both online purchasing behavior and digital copying behavior, and phishing targeting. Moreover, a relationship was found between all online activities (except for online purchasing behavior) and impulsivity. The present study thus suggests that especially online shoppers and users who often share and use copied files online should be trained to deal with phishing attacks appropriately.

Individual internet users are commonly considered the weakest links in the cybersecurity chain.One reason for this is that they tend to be overoptimistic regarding their own online safety. To gain a better understanding of the cognitive processes involved in this assessment, the current study applies an extended version of the protection motivation theory. More specifically, this study includes perceived knowledge and internet trust to discover how these antecedents influence the threat and coping appraisal processes. Based on representative survey data collected from 967 respondents, we found that people who feel well-informed about online safety feel less vulnerable to cybercrime and are less inclined to take security measures. At the same time, feeling informed is associated with being more convinced of the severity of cybercrime. High levels of trust in the safety of the internet are linked to the feeling that one is less vulnerable to cybercrime and the perception that cybercrime is not a severe threat. Future interventions should remind internet users about their own perceived vulnerability and the risks that exist online while ensuring that internet users do not lose their trust in the internet and confidence in their own online knowledge.

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