Real-time phishing URL detection framework using knowledge distilled ELECTRA

Abstract

The rise of cyber threats, particularly URL-based phishing attacks, has tarnished the digital age despite its unparalleled access to information. These attacks often deceive users into disclosing confidential information by redirecting them to fraudulent websites. Existing browser-based methods, predominantly relying on blacklist approaches, have failed to effectively detect phishing attacks. To counteract this issue, we propose a novel system that integrates a deep learning model with a user-centric Chrome browser extension to detect and alert users about potential phishing URLs instantly. Our approach introduces a Knowledge Distilled ELECTRA model for URL detection and achieves remarkable performance metrics of 99.74% accuracy and a 99.43% F1-score on a diverse dataset of 450,176 URLs. Coupled with the browser extension, our system provides real-time feedback, empowering users to make informed decisions about the websites they visit. Additionally, we incorporate a user feedback loop for continuous model enhancement. This work sets a precedent by offering a seamless, robust, and efficient solution to mitigate phishing threats for internet users.