Assessing the Security Perceptions of Personal Internet Users
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Computer and Information Science / Centre for Security Research
RAS ID
4663
Abstract
Personal Internet users are increasingly finding themselves exposed to security threats during their use of home PC systems. However, concern can be raised about users' awareness of these problems, and the extent to which they are consequently protected and equipped to deal with incidents they may encounter. This paper presents results from a survey of 415 home users to assess their perceptions of security issues, and their attitudes towards the use of related safeguards. The findings reveal that although there is a high degree of confidence at a surface level, with respondents claiming to be aware of the threats and utilising many of the relevant safeguards, a deeper inspection suggests that there are several areas in which desirable knowledge and understanding are lacking. Although many of the problems were predictably acute amongst novice users, there were also notable shortcomings amongst users who considered themselves to have advanced levels of computing experience.
DOI
10.1016/j.cose.2007.03.001
Comments
Furnell, S. M., Bryant, P., & Phippen, A. D. (2007). Assessing the security perceptions of personal Internet users. Computers & Security, 26(5), 410-417. Available here