Where is the Digital Divide? A Survey of Security, Privacy, and Socioeconomics

The behavior of the least-secure user can influence security and privacy outcomes for everyone else. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that influence the security and privacy of a broad variety of people. Prior work has suggested that users with differing socioeconomic status (SES) may behave differently; however, no research has examined how SES, advice sources, and resources relate to the security and privacy incidents users report. To address this question, we analyze a 3,000 respondent, census-representative telephone survey. We find that, contrary to prior assumptions, people with lower educational attainment report equal or fewer incidents as more educated people, and that users’ experiences are significantly correlated with their advice sources, regardless of SES or resources

Characteristics of Cybersecurity Victims at Clark Atlanta University

Poster presentation at 24th Annual CyberPsychology, CyberTherapy & Social Networking Conference (CYPSY24), Monday June 24 through Wednesday June 26, 2019 at Norfolk State University (NSU) in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.The cybersecurity business report (2018) estimates that cybercrime damage costs will hit $6 trillion annually by 2021 which is an upward trend from$3 trillion in 2015.To circumvent this crime, resources are being diverted towards training and understanding of the human factors engaged in the crime. However, most of the research has focused primarily on the Caucasian population with African Americans and other minorities being overlooked. This study focused on the psychosocial characteristics of this under-represented segment of the population in cybersecurity research. The results support past research on the relationship between the demographic variables and cybersecurity victimization, but shed new light on these relationships in the minority population

Cybercrimes in the aftermath of COVID-19: Present concerns and future directions

Cybercrimes are broadly defined as criminal activities carried out using computers or computer networks. Given the rapid and considerable shifts in Internet use and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cybercrime rates, online behaviours have attracted increased public and policy attention. In this article, we map the landscape of cybercrime in the UK by first reviewing legislation and policy, as well as examine barriers to reporting and address investigative challenges. Given the indisputable rise in cybercrime and its mental health impacts, we propose a four-facet approach for research and practice in this field with an eye to systemic shifts and strategies to combat cybercrime holistically: community alliances and social support, state intervention, and infrastructural sensitivity to user diversity. Lastly, empirical evidence from research guides the design of data-driven technology and provision of advice/interventions to provide a safer digital landscape — hence the importance for more informative research

Talking to the Overlooked: A Nationwide Telephone Survey with Four Groups Under-represented in Privacy and Security Studies

Online surveys - a primary research tool in the field of usable security and privacy research - frequently rely on web-panel platforms. However, these platforms tend not to generalize well to specific user groups. Our study addresses this research gap by studying security and privacy perceptions of four under-represented groups. We conducted telephone interviews with n = 1003 participants in Germany: (I) teenagers aged 14-17, (II) older adults 70+, (III) people with low formal education, and (IV) people with migration background. We found these groups to be under-represented in our online comparison survey. We further identified target group-specific perceptions for each group compared to the general population, e.g., regarding their experiences with cybercrime, and provide detailed insight into the privacy and security knowledge and behavior of each group. Our findings underscore the effectiveness of telephone interviews and lay the foundation for further research on these groups