Digital Security

A Question of Perspective. A Large-Scale Telephone Survey with Four At-Risk User Groups

authored by: Franziska Herbert, Steffen Becker, Annalina Buckmann, Marvin Kowalewski, Jonas Hielscher, Yasemin Acar, Markus Dürmuth, Yixin Zou, M. Angela Sasse
Abstract: This paper investigates the digital security experiences of four at-risk user groups in Germany, including older adults (70+), teenagers (14-17), people with migration backgrounds, and people with low formal education. Using computer-assisted telephone interviews, we sampled 250 participants per group, representative of region, gender, and partly age distributions. We examine their device usage, concerns, prior negative incidents, perceptions of potential attackers, and information sources. Our study provides the first quantitative and nationally representative insights into the digital security experiences of these four at-risk groups in Germany. Our findings show that participants with migration backgrounds used the most devices, sought more security information, and reported more experiences with cybercrime incidents than other groups. Older adults used the fewest devices and were least affected by cybercrimes. All groups relied on friends and family and online news as their primary sources of security information, with little concern about their social circles being potential attackers. We highlight the nuanced differences between the four at-risk groups and compare them to the broader German population when possible. We conclude by presenting recommendations for education, policy, and future research aimed at addressing the digital security needs of these at-risk user groups.
Organisation(s): Usable Security and Privacy Section
External Organisation(s): Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Paderborn University
Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy
Type: Conference contribution
Pages: 697-716
No. of pages: 20
Publication date: 2024
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4 - Quality Education, SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1109/SP54263.2024.00027 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@inproceedings{9eaaa7b2309f4d8d9b84c769ea2de710,
title = "Digital Security: A Question of Perspective. A Large-Scale Telephone Survey with Four At-Risk User Groups",
abstract = "This paper investigates the digital security experiences of four at-risk user groups in Germany, including older adults (70+), teenagers (14-17), people with migration backgrounds, and people with low formal education. Using computer-assisted telephone interviews, we sampled 250 participants per group, representative of region, gender, and partly age distributions. We examine their device usage, concerns, prior negative incidents, perceptions of potential attackers, and information sources. Our study provides the first quantitative and nationally representative insights into the digital security experiences of these four at-risk groups in Germany. Our findings show that participants with migration backgrounds used the most devices, sought more security information, and reported more experiences with cybercrime incidents than other groups. Older adults used the fewest devices and were least affected by cybercrimes. All groups relied on friends and family and online news as their primary sources of security information, with little concern about their social circles being potential attackers. We highlight the nuanced differences between the four at-risk groups and compare them to the broader German population when possible. We conclude by presenting recommendations for education, policy, and future research aimed at addressing the digital security needs of these at-risk user groups.",
author = "Franziska Herbert and Steffen Becker and Annalina Buckmann and Marvin Kowalewski and Jonas Hielscher and Yasemin Acar and Markus D{\"u}rmuth and Yixin Zou and Sasse, {M. Angela}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 IEEE.",
year = "2024",
doi = "10.1109/SP54263.2024.00027",
language = "English",
series = "Proceedings - IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy",
pages = "697--716",
booktitle = "Proceedings - 45th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, SP 2024",
}