Cyber security fear appeals: unexpectedly complicated

Key finding

A review of the wider fear-appeal literature finds real disagreement over whether fear appeals are helpful or advisable, and wide variation in how cyber security fear-appeal experiments are designed. The authors propose a standard protocol for such studies.

Why it matters

Shows that the evidence for fear-based security messaging is contested and methodologically uneven, which matters when programs rely on scare tactics.

Informs

• Does not shame, punish, or publicly name people who click context
• Builds confidence, not fear, in awareness messages context

Cite

Renaud, K., & Dupuis, M. (2019). Cyber security fear appeals: unexpectedly complicated. Proceedings of the New Security Paradigms Workshop (NSPW '19). https://doi.org/10.1145/3368860.3368864