Phishing continues to pose a significant cyber threat, exploiting users’ inadequate strategies in assessing the legitimacy of online messages and links. A noticeable gap exists in the literature concerning URL fact-checking behavior. Hence, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing user behavior in URL fact-checking to mitigate phishing attacks.
Survey data was collected from 500 internet users in Malaysia. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling.
The results show that affect, attitude and anti-phishing awareness significantly predict users’ URL fact-checking intention. Intention, facilitating conditions and habit positively impact behavior. The perceived usefulness of the URL checker positively affects beliefs and evaluation, which then influence attitude.
This study contributes to cybersecurity by providing a comprehensive understanding of factors contributing to URL fact-checking behavior, which can guide the development of practical anti-phishing strategies and educational initiatives.
