The storage space for emails has been increasing at a rapid pace day by day. Email systems still serve as very important data repositories for many users to store different kinds of information which they use in their daily activities. Due to the rapidly increasing volume of email data, there is a need to maintain the data in a most efficient way. It is also very important to provide intuitive and flexible search utilities to provide better access to the information in the email repositories, especially in an enterprise or organizational setting. In order to implement the functionality, we are presenting a tool name TESO. TESO is a tool for email searching using organizational information. This tool is designed to improve the relevancy of the email search by integrating the data from email servers and organizational information from directory services and other resources. We implement this functionality as an add-on for the Mozilla Thunderbird framework, which is an open source email client system developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The results are evaluated using the SQLite and the XML data. This work will serve as a handy tool in the area of existing information integration and keyword search on relational databases techniques and also helps in efficient access of XML information.

Email has developed into one of the most extensively used computer applications. Email interfaces, on the other hand, have gone through very few transformations since their inception. As the growing volumes of email data accumulate in users' email boxes, these interfaces fail to provide effective message handling and browsing support. Saved email messages provide not only a vast and pulsating record of one's electronic past, but also a potential source of valuable insights into the structure and dynamics of one's social network. In this thesis, we introduce a visualization approach to email that draws upon email’s inherently personal character and uses intimacy as a key parameter. We have developed faMailiar, a novel email interface that visualizes email in a chronological manner through two alternative, calendar-like views that present email activity on different time granularity scales. Visual mappings of email data and support for filtering help the user see rhythms and patterns in her social interactions. Zooming, panning and implicit semantic zooming facilitate navigation across large email collections. This thesis also describes our iterative, human-centered design method. Two user studies have been performed at different stages of the process, and we explain their purpose, results and implications.

This thesis investigates the effect of incorporating various information visualisation techniques and non-speech sounds (i.e. auditory icons and earcons) in email browsing. This empirical work consisted of three experimental phases. The first experimental phase aimed at finding out the most usable visualisation techniques for presenting email information. This experiment involved the development of two experimental email visualisation approaches which were called LinearVis and MatrixVis. These approaches visualised email messages based on a dateline together with various types of email information such as the time and the senders. The findings of this experiment were used as a basis for the development of a further email visualisation approach which was called LinearVis II. This novel approach presented email data based on multi-coordinated views. The usability of messages retrieval in this approach was investigated and compared to a typical email client in the second experimental phase. Users were required to retrieve email messages in the two experiments with the provided relevant information such as the subject, status and priority. The third experimental phase aimed at exploring the usability of retrieving email messages by using other type of email data, particularly email threads. This experiment investigated the synergic use of graphical representations with non-speech sounds (Multimodal Metaphors), graphical representations and textual display to present email threads and to communicate contextual information about email threads. The findings of this empirical study demonstrated that there is a high potential for using information visualisation techniques and non-speech sounds (i.e. auditory icons and earcons) to improve the usability of email message retrieval. Furthermore, the thesis concludes with a set of empirically derived guidelines for the use of information visualisation techniques and non-speech sound to improve email browsing. / Taibah University in Medina and the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia.

In recent years, online deception has become a major threat to information security. Online deception that caused significant consequences is usually spear phishing. Spear-phishing emails come in a very small volume, target a small number of audiences, sometimes impersonate a trusted entity and use very specific content to redirect targets to a phishing website, where the attacker tricks targets sharing their credentials. In this thesis, we aim at measuring the entire process. Starting from phishing emails, we examine anti-spoofing protocols, analyze email services' policies and warnings towards spoofing emails, and measure the email tracking ecosystem. With phishing websites, we implement a powerful tool to detect domain name impersonation and detect phishing pages using dynamic and static analysis. We also analyze credential sharing on phishing websites, and measure what happens after victims share their credentials. Finally, we discuss potential phishing and privacy concerns on new platforms such as Alexa and Google Assistant. In the first part of this thesis (Chapter 3), we focus on measuring how email providers detect and handle forged emails. We also try to understand how forged emails can reach user inboxes by deliberately composing emails. Finally, we check how email providers warn users about forged emails. In the second part (Chapter 4), we measure the adoption of anti-spoofing protocols and seek to understand the reasons behind the low adoption rates. In the third part of this thesis (Chapter 5), we observe that a lot of phishing emails use email tracking techniques to track targets. We collect a large dataset of email messages using disposable email services and measure the landscape of email tracking. In the fourth part of this thesis (Chapter 6), we move on to phishing websites. We implement a powerful tool to detect squatting domains and train a machine learning model to classify phishing websites. In the fifth part (Chapter 7), we focus on the credential leaks. More specifically, we measure what happens after the targets' credentials are leaked. We monitor and measure the potential post-phishing exploiting activities. Finally, with new voice platforms such as Alexa becoming more and more popular, we wonder if new phishing and privacy concerns emerge with new platforms. In this part (Chapter 8), we systematically assess the attack surfaces by measuring sensitive applications on voice assistant systems. My thesis measures important parts of the complete process of online deception. With deeper understandings of phishing attacks, more complete and effective defense mechanisms can be developed to mitigate attacks in various dimensions. / Doctor of Philosophy / In recent years, online deception becomes a major threat to information security. The most common form of online deception starts with a phishing email, then redirects targets to a phishing website where the attacker tricks targets sharing their credentials. General phishing emails are relatively easy to recognize from both the target's and the defender's perspective. They are usually from strange addresses, the content is usually very general and they come in a large volume. However, Online deception that caused significant consequences is usually spear phishing. Spear-phishing emails come in a very small volume, target a small number of audiences, sometimes impersonate a trusted entity and use very specific content to redirect targets to a phishing website, where the attacker tricks targets sharing their credentials. Sometimes, attackers use domain impersonation techniques to make the phishing website even more convincing. In this thesis, we measure the entire process. Starting from phishing emails, we examine anti-spoofing protocols, analyze email services' policies and warnings towards spoofing emails, and measure the email tracking ecosystem. With phishing websites, we implement a tool to detect domain name impersonation and detect phishing pages using dynamic and static analysis. We also studied credential sharing on phishing websites. We measure what happens after targets share their credentials. Finally, we analyze potential phishing and privacy concerns on new platforms such as Alexa and Google Assistant.

Background: Permission-based email marketing relies on consumers' permission to receive marketing emails. This perspective of marketing offers a cost-effective way to engage with interested customers, offering personalised content and exclusive offers. Further, it influences purchasing behaviour and customer retention, emphasising the importance of trust in successful campaigns. However, research emphasises the necessity for further exploration into the impact of promotional emails on consumer attitudes and emotions.   Purpose: This research examines consumer attitudes toward permission-based emails from a Swedish perspective. Further, the study aims to explore how these attitudes influence brand loyalty.   Method: This study adopts a positivist approach, employing a deductive method and quantitative data collection. Data collection for this study was gathered through an online survey using a convenience sampling method. A total of 145 respondents contributed to the data set. The result is analysed using Structural equation modelling to understand relationships between several constructs.   Conclusion: This thesis's findings indicate a positive attitude toward Permission-based Email Marketing, with perceived personal relevance and current engagement being key predictors. A positive association between attitude towards permission-based email marketing and loyalty was determined. Contrary to prior literature, perceived privacy concerns and registration efforts were determined not to influence attitudes significantly. Collectively, the results emphasise the significance of personal relevance and engagement in shaping consumer perceptions of permission-based email marketing, ultimately enhancing brand loyalty.

Submitted by Carlota Kelly (carlotakelly@hotmail.com) on 2018-08-08T10:46:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FGV_EBAPE_Carlota_Kelly_final_version_dissertation_2018_.pdf: 4716025 bytes, checksum: 1169e49f54e77901ef15e05eea835461 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2018-08-21T12:51:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 FGV_EBAPE_Carlota_Kelly_final_version_dissertation_2018_.pdf: 4716025 bytes, checksum: 1169e49f54e77901ef15e05eea835461 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T17:46:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FGV_EBAPE_Carlota_Kelly_final_version_dissertation_2018_.pdf: 4716025 bytes, checksum: 1169e49f54e77901ef15e05eea835461 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-22 / OBJETIVO: Esta tese propõe – se a avaliar a influência de dois tipos de campanhas de e-mail nas vendas online, no contexto de um retalhista na área de moda. A plataforma online do retalhista engloba três conceitos diferentes: LA Woman, LA Kids e LA Loft. Deste modo, o estudo ambiciona entender recorrendo às ferramentas disponíveis, a resposta dos diferentes tipos de campanhas de email ao tráfico gerado e transações no website da marca. METODOLOGIA: Relativamente à abordagem de pesquisa, um estudo de caso foi o método selecionado com ajuda dos dados obtidos das duas plataformas: base de dados interno de email marketing e Google Analytics. Consequentemente, práticas de pesquisa descritiva e explicativa foram conduzidas de modo abordar as perguntas propostas no âmbito desta dissertação. RESULTADOS: As principais conclusões demonstram que campanhas de email de natureza informativa são mais bem-sucedidas atendendo as vendas, enquanto que as campanhas de email com reduções de preço associadas geram um maior número de tráfico no website. Esta primeira descoberta foi reconfirmada, visto que os utilizadores que regressam ao site veem sobretudo através de campanhas de email de origem informativa, que geram maior número de receitas e transações LIMITAÇÕES: A dissertação apresenta algumas limitações associadas à natureza da sua abordagem de pesquisa, bem como aos dados fornecidos pela marca. Desde modo, seria interessante para estudos futuros considerar – se a avaliação os resultados obtidos no ponto de vista de outras empresas do sector da moda, de forma a obter um cenário mais completo. APLICABILIDADE DO TRABALHO: Atendendo aos resultados desta dissertação, a empresa da área da moda, Lanidor, poderá adaptar a sua estratégia digital, de modo a estabelecer e obter uma maior aprovação da sua lista de subscritores. Adicionalmente, este estudo concede a oportunidade de adaptar o tipo de campanhas de email usadas, bem como, o seu conteúdo consoante os seus objetivos e a sua estratégia digital. / PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of two type of email campaigns on e-commerce revenues, in the context of a fashion retailer. This retailer´s e-commerce platform englobes three concepts: LA Woman, LA Kids and LA Loft. Given these circumstances, the study aims to understand under the guidance of the disposable metrics, the response from the different email campaigns to traffic driven and sales conversion on the website. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY: A case study research approach was employed with the support of data obtained from two platforms: in-house email marketing database and Google Analytics. Furthermore, some descriptive and explanatory research was conducted to address the proposed research questions. FINDINGS: The key findings display that informative email campaigns are well succeeded concerning sales conversion, while price reduction email campaigns generate a higher amount of traffic into the website. Moreover, this was reconfirmed as returning visitors to the site come mainly through informative email campaigns generated higher revenues and transactions. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS: The study presented any limitations associated with the nature of the research approach and the organisation of the data provided by the company. Future research can evaluate the results from other companies’ scope and have a more complete overview. PRATICAL IMPLICATIONS: From these results, the fashion brand used to conduct this analysis, Lanidor, can adapt its digital strategy to better address and engage their mailing list. Besides it can adapt the type of email campaigns and content to the different aims beyond their digital marketing strategy.

Communication with the customer plays a crucial role in today's internet marketing. In case we do not communicate with the customer or we let his attention towards our product or service fade away, than the investment into gaining him has not been well used. Email marketing itself is a very good instrument for maintaining and building the relationship with the customer. However, a great number of entrepreneurs and companies does not know how to work with email marketing and they send email just the same way as they would invite their colleagues for a meeting or simply just scan a discount flier. The first part of the master thesis therefore focuses on the definition of email marketing itself and of the features by which emails affect the customers. It than presents the ways how to maintain the customer, how to pamper them by e.g. content marketing and it shows the current trends and possibilities of automatization. The second part of the master thesis than presents and uses email marketing not only as one of the very strong instruments of direct marketing but also as one of the ways to support online education, which has been gaining a lot of popularity both in the Czech Republic and abroad. The thesis shows the possibilities how to use email marketing to promote an education website that is being created concurrently with this thesis and how to teach its visitors. The practical part shows how to set up the path of the customer and the email marketing strategy in order to change the visitors of the website into loyal customers. All that with the highest possible automatization of the process.

Email marketing is not a new concept within marketing, it has been used by companies as a cost-effective way to incentives purchases for decades. However, during the past few years, there was a shift in the way email can be used. Today, it is also a way for companies to directly communicate with customers and through it create more long-term customer relationships. Previous research within the subject has had a focus on examining the effect of email marketing on purchases. However, with the new additional email practices, which have emerged in recent years, there is the need for studying email marketing from the perspective of the consumer. Since there are several conceptualizations of email marketing, this study adopts the definition where consumers’ consent to receiving the emails is a must, in other words permission-based email marketing. In addition, the study examines the influence of permission-based email marketing on consumers’ behaviors that go beyond purchases, namely the non-purchase behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how permission-based email marketing and relational factors influence consumers’ non-purchase behaviors. Moreover, the study aims to answer to the following research question: How does permission-based email marketing, aided by relational factors, influence consumers’ non-purchase behaviors? In order to answer the research question, a qualitative method was used, more specifically semi-structured interviews were conducted with young millennial consumers between the ages of 25 to 34. The results showed that different identified aspects of permission-based email marketing influence certain relational factors and ultimately the consumers’ engagement. However, a key factor is the consumer's own perception regarding what the emails from clothing retailers should contain in order to be relevant. Whether the email’s content is general or personalized, if the consumers perceive it as valuable and relevant, it will lead to increased customer satisfaction, perceived value, perceived brand competence, trust, commitment and loyalty. These relational factors can facilitate consumers’ non-purchase behaviors such as opening, reading, clicking on links and spreading positive word-of-mouth. However, the results also indicate factors, which contribute to less and more negative non-purchase behaviors. If consumers do not perceive to have given permission for receiving emails from a clothing retailer, they will respond by unsubscribing. Moreover, if consumers perceive to be receiving an excessive amount of emails, or if they deem the content irrelevant, they are more likely to delete, unsubscribe and spread negative word-of-mouth. The study resulted in a conceptual model, which illustrates the factors of both permission-based email marketing and relational factors and their influence on consumers’ non-purchase behaviors.

Les protocoles d'échange d'informations représentent un des grands domaines actuels de recherche en sécurité informatique, et sont entre autres à la base des mécanismes de commerce électronique. Ils sont par exemple nécessaires à la réalisation d'un achat en ligne, à la signature d'un contrat électronique et au courrier électronique recommandé. Dans ces exemples, les échanges d'informations consistent à échanger respectivement un objet électronique contre un paiement, des signatures digitales sur un même contrat, et un courrier électronique contre un accusé de réception. Informellement, un protocole mettant en oeuvre de tels types d'échanges est dit équitable si et seulement si à la fin du protocole soit l'échange d'information a eu lieu, soit aucune information (même en partie) n'a été échangée. Afin d'assurer cette propriété d'équité de manière efficace, et d'éviter ainsi des éventuels comportements malhonnêtes de la part des participants à l'échange d'informations qui chercheraient à nuire au bon déroulement du protocole, une tierce partie de confiance est utilisée. Un des buts de cette thèse est de discerner les tâches devant être assurées par une telle tierce partie de confiance et développer des méthodes permettant d'en minimiser le nombre et l'importance, afin de limiter la confiance que les entités effectuant l'échange doivent porter à cette tierce partie. Pour cela, nous identifions tout d'abord de manière générique quels sont ces types de tâches, puis nous analysons sous ce point de vue les principaux protocoles ayant été proposés dans la littérature. Cette démarche nous conduit ensuite naturellement à nous pencher sur les relations de confiance entre les participants à un protocole d'échange. Ce type de relations est particulièrement significatif pour des protocoles à plus de deux participants. Enfin, dans ce travail, nous observons à la lumière des aspects de confiance, les différentes propriétés propres aux protocoles d'échange, et nous proposons plusieurs nouveaux protocoles ayant des besoins en confiance limités.

The use, reuse and manipulation of information has become a key factor in the success of any organisation in an increasingly competitive and global business environment. Ensuring that employees are able to access (or are provided with) the right information in a timely manner is one of the key challenges facing organisations. Amongst the dominant communication methods email fills an important role in facilitating distributed communication and it is seen as a key target for improvement. Email is being used extensively and increasingly as a significant (and often dominant) method for communication within engineering organisations and projects and there exists significant opportunity and requirement to improve the use and reuse of email. This thesis contributes a rich understanding of the practise and perception of email use and reuse developed through a comprehensive review of the literature and three investigative studies: a study of the content of emails exchanged during an engineering project, a survey of practising engineers describing the role of email in supporting communication in projects and engineers perception of email, and a investigation of the information about the relationships between engineers participating in a project as represented by their exchanges of email. The second main contribution is a set of scenarios that were developed to summarise the understanding developed in the investigative studies, and form a core set of contextualised problems that can be used to communicate the research to industry and around which an holistic proposal is described to improve engineers use and reuse of email. The final contribution is an approach for supporting engineers in interpreting emails by the provision of additional contextual information, mitigating a core problem identified during the course of the research for which a well established information management solution does not already exist.