Security Implications of User Non-compliance Behavior to Software Updates: A Risk Assessment Study

Fuente: arXiv
Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Tamanna, Mahzabin, Anwar, Mohd, Stephens, Joseph D. W.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
_version_ 1866917048504811520
author Tamanna, Mahzabin
Anwar, Mohd
Stephens, Joseph D. W.
author_facet Tamanna, Mahzabin
Anwar, Mohd
Stephens, Joseph D. W.
contents Software updates are essential to enhance security, fix bugs, and add better features to the existing software. While some users accept software updates, non-compliance remains a widespread issue. While some users accept software updates, non-compliance remains a widespread issue. End users' systems remain vulnerable to security threats when security updates are not installed or are installed with a delay. Despite research efforts, users' noncompliance behavior with software updates is still prevalent. In this study, we explored how psychological factors influence users' perception and behavior toward software updates. In addition, we investigated how information about potential vulnerabilities and risk scores influences their behavior. Next, we proposed a model that utilizes attributes from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) to effectively assess the overall risk score associated with delaying software updates. Next, we conducted a user study with Windows OS users, showing that providing a risk score for not updating their systems and information about vulnerabilities significantly increased users' willingness to update their systems. Additionally, we examined the influence of demographic factors, gender, on users' decision-making regarding software updates. Our results show no statistically significant difference in male and female users' responses in terms of concerns about securing their systems. The implications of this study are relevant for software developers and manufacturers as they can use this information to design more effective software update notification messages. The communication of the potential risks and their corresponding risk scores may motivate users to take action and update their systems in a timely manner, which can ultimately improve the overall security of the system.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_06262
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Security Implications of User Non-compliance Behavior to Software Updates: A Risk Assessment Study
Tamanna, Mahzabin
Anwar, Mohd
Stephens, Joseph D. W.
Software Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction
Software updates are essential to enhance security, fix bugs, and add better features to the existing software. While some users accept software updates, non-compliance remains a widespread issue. While some users accept software updates, non-compliance remains a widespread issue. End users' systems remain vulnerable to security threats when security updates are not installed or are installed with a delay. Despite research efforts, users' noncompliance behavior with software updates is still prevalent. In this study, we explored how psychological factors influence users' perception and behavior toward software updates. In addition, we investigated how information about potential vulnerabilities and risk scores influences their behavior. Next, we proposed a model that utilizes attributes from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) to effectively assess the overall risk score associated with delaying software updates. Next, we conducted a user study with Windows OS users, showing that providing a risk score for not updating their systems and information about vulnerabilities significantly increased users' willingness to update their systems. Additionally, we examined the influence of demographic factors, gender, on users' decision-making regarding software updates. Our results show no statistically significant difference in male and female users' responses in terms of concerns about securing their systems. The implications of this study are relevant for software developers and manufacturers as they can use this information to design more effective software update notification messages. The communication of the potential risks and their corresponding risk scores may motivate users to take action and update their systems in a timely manner, which can ultimately improve the overall security of the system.
title Security Implications of User Non-compliance Behavior to Software Updates: A Risk Assessment Study
topic Software Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.06262