Computer Users Feel 'Security Fatigue,' Possibly Leading to Insecure Practices, Says NIST
A majority of typical computer users experienced "security fatigue," that is they were tired of dealing with security, which could lead to increased risky behavior, said the National Institute of Standards and Technology in a Tuesday blog post on a…
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new agency study. “If people can’t use security, they are not going to, and then we and our nation won’t be secure," said co-author Brian Stanton, a NIST cognitive scientist. The study is based on interviews with people of all ages, holding a variety of jobs and living in suburban, rural and urban areas about their online activity, including shopping and banking, computer security, security terminology, and security icons and tools. Researchers said most computer users "felt overwhelmed or bombarded" over computer security issues such as remembering dozens of passwords, leading to "feelings of resignation and loss of control." Some said they didn't know why they would be targeted in a cyberattack and added that security should be left to a third party such as their bank. To ease the fatigue, researchers, who plan further studies on the topic, said decisions should be made simple and consistent for users.