THE EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH ON PHISHING: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS (2005–2025)

Abstract

Phishing has emerged as one of the most pervasive cyber threats in the digital age, evolving in both technical sophistication and psychological manipulation. While considerable research has been conducted on phishing detection and user susceptibility, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of this field remains limited. This study addresses that gap by examining the evolution of phishing-related research from 2005 to 2025 through a systematic bibliometric approach. Using data extracted from the Scopus database (n = 1196) and analyzed through Scopus Analyzer, OpenRefine, and VOSviewer, the study explores annual publication trends, identifies the most cited articles, highlights prolific authors and contributing countries, and maps keyword co-occurrence, co-authorship, and co-citation networks. There has been a significant surge in publication output post-2016, with peak contributions between 2020 and 2024, likely influenced by global digitalization and the COVID-19 pandemic. The most cited works emphasize machine learning, persuasion tactics, and phishing susceptibility. India, the United Kingdom and the United States emerged as leading contributors, with the United States exhibiting the highest total link strength in collaborative networks. Among the 2000+ keywords identified, “phishing,” “machine learning,” “cybersecurity,” “phishing detection,” and “social engineering” were most prominent. Keyword co-occurrence mapping illustrates a dual focus on technical detection and human-centered analysis. The co-authorship analysis shows moderate international collaboration, concentrated among select academic hubs, while co-citation analysis reveals key intellectual influencers shaping the field. The findings present an in-depth overview of the intellectual structure and worldwide development of phishing research, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the field and informing future research directions for cybersecurity scholars and practitioners.