"Wichita State Researchers Aim to Educate, Protect Refugees From Cyber-Scams"

Dr. Mythili Menon, assistant professor of English and linguistics and director of linguistics at Wichita State University (WSU), was recently awarded $296,470 as part of the National Science Foundation's Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) program to study refugees' responses to phishing and vishing attempts. EAGER provides exploratory funding for high-risk, high-reward research into the nation's pressing issues. Phishing or vishing can have serious consequences for anyone, but it can be especially devastating for refugees who may not understand the legal and justice systems in the US. The project titled "Enabling Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Studying Social Engineering Attacks Targeting Vulnerable Refugee Populations" or, as Menon has dubbed it, "Cybersecurity for All," will include two parts of Wichita's refugee population: 94 Congolese refugees and 94 Afghani refugees. The research team behind this project will also work with the Wichita branch of the International Rescue Committee. Menon's research will be divided into three phases: digital literacy education for study participants, phishing simulations, and additional education based on the gaps revealed by the phishing simulations. The study's digital education component will teach small groups of refugees the fundamentals of technology, such as how to use a phone, access email, set up email, and follow cybersecurity best practices. Phase two will take place in the spring and summer of 2023, with researchers staging phishing and vishing attacks on their students to gain insight into what they do when they encounter a social engineering attack, specifically what linguistics traits they fall for and whether they fall for certain linguistic patterns or keywords. The study participants will be brought back for an educational workshop at the end of the study in summer 2024, after which they will be equipped with a checklist and instructions on how to avoid falling victim to phishing or vishing attacks. This article continues to discuss the goals and support behind the Cybersecurity for All project.

WSU reports "Wichita State Researchers Aim to Educate, Protect Refugees From Cyber-Scams"