Nadia Halabi

Date of Award

Fall 10-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Cyber Operations (PhDCO)

Department

Computer Science

First Advisor

Stephen Krebsbach

Second Advisor

Kyle Cronin

Third Advisor

Cherie Noteboom

Fourth Advisor

Mary Francis

Abstract

Internet-of-Things (IoT) usage surged over the past decade, and its advancement of intricate devices brings obvious convenience to users. IoT devices such as Smart TVs offer services and features that are desirable and favorable to consumers. However, all that convenience comes with security and privacy concerns. Smart TVs have been the target of attacks due to their internet connectivity. Moreover, personally identifiable information (PII), browsing history, and watching preferences, are being collected, leaked, and sold.

Previous research showed that users care that their data is protected but have minimal privacy awareness. Moreover, some researchers claimed that even if consumers were made aware of privacy issues, using the smart TVs’ functionalities took higher precedence than protecting their privacy. This study will extend previous studies and investigate claims that informing users about privacy does not change their attitudes. The aim is to investigate different groups of students at a small mid-western public institution of higher education: across domains, STEM and Non-STEM programs, junior/senior and freshmen/sophomore students’ responses and attitudes will be compared. The research will investigate whether training and exposure to security programs and courses affect students’ security and privacy knowledge, awareness, and attitudes.

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