Date Approved
6-5-2014
Date Posted
8-1-2014
Degree Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department or School
College of Technology
Committee Member
Ali Eydgahi, Chair
Committee Member
Huei Lee, PhD
Committee Member
Konnie Kustron, PhD
Committee Member
Alphonso Bellamy, PhD
Abstract
With the exponential growth of smartphone usage, providing information security has become one of the main challenges that researchers and information-security specialists must consider. In contrast to traditional mobile phones that only enable people to talk and text, smartphone networks give users a variety of convenient functions such as connection to the Internet, online shopping, e-mail and social media, data storage, global positioning systems, and many other applications. Providing security in smartphone networks is critical for the overall information security of individuals and businesses. Smartphone networks could become vulnerable to security breaches if users do not practice safe behaviors such as selecting strong passwords, encrypting their stored data, downloading applications only from authorized websites, not opening emails from unknown sources, and updating authorized security patches. Users of smartphone devices play an important role in providing information security in smartphone networks, which affects the information security of private and public networks.
This study assessed the factors that affect users’ security behavior on smartphone networks. By reviewing the theoretical frameworks that evaluate human behavior, this study formed a research model. The research model identified attitude, intention, computing experience, breaching experience, and facilitation condition as the main and direct factors that influence information security behavior in smartphone networks. This study performed several analyses on the investigator-developed survey questionnaire to ensure validity and reliability. Examining all of the proposed direct constructs, this study found that users’ facilitation condition does not have significant impact on the information security behavior in smartphones. This research also showed that gender and employment status have moderating effects on several hypothesized paths. The findings of this research could help information security developers to design better systems that could provide stronger information security for individuals and businesses that share their networks with users’ smartphones.
Recommended Citation
Esmaeili, Mohammadjafar, "Assessment of users' information security behavior in smartphone networks" (2014). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 581.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/581