Password retrieval programs in education and their effects on information security awareness

Abstract

The main purpose of the research is to examine the impact of the information security course on students' habits, attitudes, and everyday security awareness, furthermore to analyse and develop methods used in education. In this study two groups were compared. In the first group, students watched video recordings exemplifying password decryption by using appropriate programs. In the second group, students could try out these programs testing the retrievability of their own passwords. Before and after the course an online questionnaire survey was carried out. The impact appearing in students' personal lives was revealed by examining their individual password and device usage. Answers were scored according to their safety, or security risk. It has been demonstrated that the educational method supported by decrypter programs that facilitate student activity had a significantly greater impact on the students' information security attitudes, practices, and awareness than those method applying only video demonstrations.