A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats

Najla Aldaraani; Helen Petrie; Siamak F. Shahandashti

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4

A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats

Najla Aldaraani^*, Helen Petrie^*, Siamak F. Shahandashti

^*Corresponding author for this work

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

An online diary study was conducted to investigate the experience of online security threats among Saudi young adults. Over a period of 30 days, 16 participants were asked to record up to three threats they received from online sources on any of their devices. 58 threats were received, and 98 cues were reported in detecting the threats. The Phish Scale proved useful to categorise the detection cues, but needed expansion, largely due to the proliferation of threat types, which can come through many online channels including SMS, WhatsApp and online voice channels. The majority of threats were phishing, with general email phishing and target email phishing (spear phishing) being the most common types. The cues most commonly used to detect threats were those related to language and content of the threat, technical indicators such as the lack of a sender name or email or a suspicious or hidden link to follow, and tactics such as posing as a business or making an offer “too good to be true”.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024)
Editors	Nathan Clarke, Steven Furnell
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	47-60
Number of pages	14
ISBN (Print)	9783031725586
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	18th IFIP WG 11.12 International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance, HAISA 2024 - Skövde, Sweden Duration: 9 Jul 2024 → 11 Jul 2024

Publication series

Name	IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume	721 IFIP
ISSN (Print)	1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)	1868-422X

Conference

Conference	18th IFIP WG 11.12 International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance, HAISA 2024
Country/Territory	Sweden
City	Skövde
Period	9/07/24 → 11/07/24

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.

Keywords

Online Security Threats
Online Security Threat Types
Cues to Detect Online Security Threats
Young Adults
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Phishing

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4

HAISA2024-Aldaraani-Petrie-Shahandashti-CR
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.
Accepted author manuscript, 366 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Aldaraani, N., Petrie, H., & Shahandashti, S. F. (2025). A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats. In N. Clarke, & S. Furnell (Eds.), IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024) (pp. 47-60). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 721 IFIP). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4

Aldaraani, Najla ; Petrie, Helen ; Shahandashti, Siamak F. / A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats. IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024). editor / Nathan Clarke ; Steven Furnell. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. pp. 47-60 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

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title = "A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats",

abstract = "An online diary study was conducted to investigate the experience of online security threats among Saudi young adults. Over a period of 30 days, 16 participants were asked to record up to three threats they received from online sources on any of their devices. 58 threats were received, and 98 cues were reported in detecting the threats. The Phish Scale proved useful to categorise the detection cues, but needed expansion, largely due to the proliferation of threat types, which can come through many online channels including SMS, WhatsApp and online voice channels. The majority of threats were phishing, with general email phishing and target email phishing (spear phishing) being the most common types. The cues most commonly used to detect threats were those related to language and content of the threat, technical indicators such as the lack of a sender name or email or a suspicious or hidden link to follow, and tactics such as posing as a business or making an offer “too good to be true”. ",

keywords = "Online Security Threats, Online Security Threat Types, Cues to Detect Online Security Threats, Young Adults, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Phishing",

author = "Najla Aldaraani and Helen Petrie and Shahandashti, {Siamak F.}",

note = "This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University{\textquoteright}s Research Publications and Open Access policy.; 18th IFIP WG 11.12 International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance, HAISA 2024 ; Conference date: 09-07-2024 Through 11-07-2024",

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Aldaraani, N, Petrie, H & Shahandashti, SF 2025, A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats. in N Clarke & S Furnell (eds), IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024). IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 721 IFIP, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 47-60, 18th IFIP WG 11.12 International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance, HAISA 2024, Skövde, Sweden, 9/07/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4

A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats. / Aldaraani, Najla; Petrie, Helen ; Shahandashti, Siamak F.
IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024). ed. / Nathan Clarke; Steven Furnell. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025. p. 47-60 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 721 IFIP).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AB - An online diary study was conducted to investigate the experience of online security threats among Saudi young adults. Over a period of 30 days, 16 participants were asked to record up to three threats they received from online sources on any of their devices. 58 threats were received, and 98 cues were reported in detecting the threats. The Phish Scale proved useful to categorise the detection cues, but needed expansion, largely due to the proliferation of threat types, which can come through many online channels including SMS, WhatsApp and online voice channels. The majority of threats were phishing, with general email phishing and target email phishing (spear phishing) being the most common types. The cues most commonly used to detect threats were those related to language and content of the threat, technical indicators such as the lack of a sender name or email or a suspicious or hidden link to follow, and tactics such as posing as a business or making an offer “too good to be true”.

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Aldaraani N, Petrie H , Shahandashti SF. A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats. In Clarke N, Furnell S, editors, IFIP International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance (HAISA 2024). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2025. p. 47-60. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-72559-3_4

A Diary Study to Understand Young Saudi Adult Users' Experiences of Online Security Threats

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this