Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Through surveying individuals with no professional experience in cybersecurity, this study examines the relationship between awareness and education surrounding security controls and end users’ willingness to adopt them. The findings reveal a strong link between understanding the effectiveness of these controls and user comfort, indicating that as end users’ understanding increases, so does their willingness to use the controls. Working in both identity and access management (IAM) and human risk management, I observed what appeared to be a connection between security education and positive attitudes toward security more broadly, but found limited research statistically linking the two. This study’s findings demonstrate the value of investing in security education and can serve as a foundation for future research as human risk is further explored.
Recommended Citation
Stafford, Tyler M. and Dwyer, Catherine, "Cybersecurity's PR Problem: The Education Gap Fueling MFA Aversion" (2025). Honors College Theses. 398.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/honorscollege_theses/398
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