Cognitive Dissonance and Persuasion for Smishing (CDP-S): A Conceptual Framework

Smishing is a phishing attack that targets users through mobile devices, which creates a uniquely personal and inherently trusted environment. In this context, users respond quickly and habitually, making them especially susceptible to social engineering tactics. This immediacy enables attackers to exploit cognitive and psychological vulnerabilities effectively, highlighting the urgent need for dedicated research on smishing. This research introduces the Cognitive Dissonance and Persuasion Framework for Smishing (CDP-S), which integrates Persuasion Theory and Cognitive Dissonance Theory to explore how persuasive message techniques interact with human vulnerabilities and influence smishing susceptibility. The research aims to advance cybersecurity behavioral studies by establishing a persuasion-based paradigm for understanding human vulnerability in mobile phishing contexts.