By: Lindsay Thelen/College of Communication Arts and Sciences

Computer security, virus scans and hackers. Average computer users may recognize these terms, but perhaps not fully understand their relevancy in their personal routines, say two Michigan State University faculty members

MSU Assistant Professors Emilee Rader and Rick Wash are studying ways to help individuals better understand security issues and improve home computer security.

The faculty members have received two grants totaling nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation for the research. The vast majority of computer owners have little computer security knowledge or training, and many users try to avoid making security decisions because they feel they don't have the knowledge and skills to maintain proper security, the researchers said.

“We are interested in where people are obtaining their security advice when they don’t necessarily have a computer security expert in their home,” said Rader. “Some people may listen to a computer-savvy cousin or others could turn to something they read online, but what sources do people trust most and do they actually practice these security precautions regularly?”

Rader and Wash point out that although computer experts may give out advice such as advising people not to click on unknown links or to avoid writing down their passwords, this advice might not be practical for the average person and might need to be altered.

“People not protecting their computer is not just an individual problem; it’s a societal problem,” explained Wash. “Not only can your credit card number get stolen, but hackers can use your computer’s information to hack other users and potentially hack a large company.”

Wash and Rader have a team of graduate students, Brandon Brooks and Jacob Solomon, and are currently looking to hire undergraduate research assistants for the spring and summer semesters. The team will soon be launching surveys regarding the public’s opinion of computer security and conducting lab experiments to find out how people learn about these topics and which information individuals trust and use more. This research will ultimately allow Wash and Rader to come up with better ways to communicate computer security information that will aid users in making computer security decisions.