Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children

Suzanne Prior; Jacques Ophoff

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3

Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children

Suzanne Prior^*, Jacques Ophoff

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Cybersecurity and Computing

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

Abstract

Research suggests that over a quarter of children aged 11–15 years old have already been a victim of a phishing attack. However, this threat has received limited attention in cybersecurity education aimed at children. Within this topic area this paper reports on the use of CyberSprinters UK government resources to educate school children. To understand the effectiveness of these resources we conducted an action research project with a class of 10–12 years old children. We discuss the experience of delivering the phishing lesson and examine the activities conducted with the children. Our results provide insight into children’s ability to identify typical features of phishing emails, messages, and phone calls. The lessons learnt suggest areas around incorporating children’s voice, cultivating teacher confidence, and engaging parents which could further enhance education.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Information security education - challenges in the digital age
Subtitle of host publication	16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings
Editors	Lynette Drevin, Wai Sze Leung, Suné von Solms
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Springer
Chapter	3
Pages	36-49
Number of pages	14
ISBN (Electronic)	9783031629181
ISBN (Print)	9783031629174, 9783031629204
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3
Publication status	Published - 11 Jun 2024
Event	16th World Conference on Information Security Education: Information Security Education Challenges - Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Duration: 12 Jun 2024 → 14 Jun 2024 Conference number: 16th https://www.ifiptc11.org/wg118-wise

Publication series

Name	IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Publisher	Springer
Volume	707
ISSN (Print)	1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)	1868-422X

Conference

Conference	16th World Conference on Information Security Education
Abbreviated title	WISE 2024
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Edinburgh
Period	12/06/24 → 14/06/24
Internet address	https://www.ifiptc11.org/wg118-wise

Keywords

Children
Cybersecurity education
Phishing
CyberSprinters

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3

Embargoed Document

Prior_LessonsLearnt_Accepted_2024
Accepted author manuscript, 633 KB
Embargo ends: 11/06/25

Cite this

Prior, S., & Ophoff, J. (2024). Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children. In L. Drevin, W. S. Leung, & S. von Solms (Eds.), Information security education - challenges in the digital age: 16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings (pp. 36-49). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 707). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3

Prior, Suzanne ; Ophoff, Jacques. / Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children. Information security education - challenges in the digital age: 16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings. editor / Lynette Drevin ; Wai Sze Leung ; Suné von Solms. Cham : Springer, 2024. pp. 36-49 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

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abstract = "Research suggests that over a quarter of children aged 11–15 years old have already been a victim of a phishing attack. However, this threat has received limited attention in cybersecurity education aimed at children. Within this topic area this paper reports on the use of CyberSprinters UK government resources to educate school children. To understand the effectiveness of these resources we conducted an action research project with a class of 10–12 years old children. We discuss the experience of delivering the phishing lesson and examine the activities conducted with the children. Our results provide insight into children{\textquoteright}s ability to identify typical features of phishing emails, messages, and phone calls. The lessons learnt suggest areas around incorporating children{\textquoteright}s voice, cultivating teacher confidence, and engaging parents which could further enhance education.",

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Prior, S & Ophoff, J 2024, Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children. in L Drevin, WS Leung & S von Solms (eds), Information security education - challenges in the digital age: 16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 707, Springer, Cham, pp. 36-49, 16th World Conference on Information Security Education, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 12/06/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3

Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children. / Prior, Suzanne ; Ophoff, Jacques.
Information security education - challenges in the digital age: 16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings. ed. / Lynette Drevin; Wai Sze Leung; Suné von Solms. Cham: Springer, 2024. p. 36-49 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 707).

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

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AU - Ophoff, Jacques

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PY - 2024/6/11

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N2 - Research suggests that over a quarter of children aged 11–15 years old have already been a victim of a phishing attack. However, this threat has received limited attention in cybersecurity education aimed at children. Within this topic area this paper reports on the use of CyberSprinters UK government resources to educate school children. To understand the effectiveness of these resources we conducted an action research project with a class of 10–12 years old children. We discuss the experience of delivering the phishing lesson and examine the activities conducted with the children. Our results provide insight into children’s ability to identify typical features of phishing emails, messages, and phone calls. The lessons learnt suggest areas around incorporating children’s voice, cultivating teacher confidence, and engaging parents which could further enhance education.

AB - Research suggests that over a quarter of children aged 11–15 years old have already been a victim of a phishing attack. However, this threat has received limited attention in cybersecurity education aimed at children. Within this topic area this paper reports on the use of CyberSprinters UK government resources to educate school children. To understand the effectiveness of these resources we conducted an action research project with a class of 10–12 years old children. We discuss the experience of delivering the phishing lesson and examine the activities conducted with the children. Our results provide insight into children’s ability to identify typical features of phishing emails, messages, and phone calls. The lessons learnt suggest areas around incorporating children’s voice, cultivating teacher confidence, and engaging parents which could further enhance education.

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Prior S , Ophoff J. Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children. In Drevin L, Leung WS, von Solms S, editors, Information security education - challenges in the digital age: 16th IFIP WG 11.8 World Conference on Information Security Education, WISE 2024, Edinburgh, UK, June 12–14, 2024, proceedings. Cham: Springer. 2024. p. 36-49. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology). Epub 2024 Jun 11. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-62918-1_3

Lessons learnt from using educational phishing materials with UK primary school children

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Embargoed Document

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Cite this