Understanding people/Challenges of the human computer interface

Understanding people/Challenges of the human computer interface

1. Reasons for understanding and improving HCI interactions

   • Increase Satisfaction
   • Increase security
   • Reduce frustration
   • Increase efficiency& effectiveness
   • Reduce costs

2. Security v Usability

   • Does increased security decrease usability?
     • 20 character passwords don't seem very usable
     • An easier way to recall information might be more usable
   • Does increased usability decrease security?
     • 1 characer password easy to recall, not safe
     • Allowing to store a password on a token might be more usable

3. Computer security is protection of an asset from a threat

   • Types of protection
     • Prevention
       • Taking measures to prevent assets from being damaged
     • Detection
       • Taking measures that allow detection of when an asset has been damaged
     • Reaction
       • Taking measures that allow you to react to an attack

4. 3 main protection goals / CIA

   • Confideniality
     • Keeping information secret from those who are not authorized to view it
   • Integrity
     • Ensuring information has not been altered by unauthorized means
   • Availability
     • Providing access to resources in a timely manner

5. Security toolbelt

   • Firewalls
   • Intrusion detection system
   • Authentication
   • Access Control
   • Encryption
   • Redundancy
   • Public key certificates

6. Why bother?

   • Attackers exist
     • No attacker, no security concerns
       • intentional
   • Systems are complex
     • Firewalls breached
     • Lines of code can facilitate an attack
   • Human factors
     • Websites could still go down, due to human error
     • Weak link
       • Forgetful
       • writing poor code
       • choosing weak passwords

7. Humans necessary?

   • Without humans in the loop computer security would be easy
   • Completely automated systems
   • Don't know how to build automated systems well enough
   • Need to build with humans in mind
   • Automated systems are expensive

8. Primary tasks

   • Desire to accomplish task
     • Usability often at forefront
       • Firewalls turned off
       • Choosing easy passwords
       • Leaving computers unlocked

9. Secondary tasks

   • Security