Human–computer interaction (security): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:23, 12 February 2008

Revision as of 20:52, 15 May 2008

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'''HCISec''' is the study of interaction between humans and computers, or [[HCI]], specifically as it pertains to [[information security]]. Its aim, in plain terms, is to improve the [[usability]] of security features in [[end user]] applications.

Unlike [[HCI]], which has roots in the early days of [[Xerox PARC]] during the [[1970s]], HCISec is a nascent field of study by comparison. Not surprisingly, interest in this topic tracks with that of [[Internet security]], which has become an area of broad public concern only in very recent years.

Historically, security features exhibit poor usability for reasons that include:

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* they were added in casual afterthought

* they were hastily patched in to address newly discovered [[security bug]]s

* they address very complex [[use case]]s without the benefit of a [[Wizard %28software%29(software)|software wizard]]

* their interface designers lacked understanding of related security concepts

* their interface designers were not usability experts (often meaning they were the application developers themselves)

== Further reading ==

*[http://www.simson.net/thesis/ "Design Principles and Patterns for Computer Systems That Are Simultaneously Secure and Usable"], by [[Simson Garfinkel]]

== See also ==

*[[Human-computer interaction]]

*[[Information security]]

== External links ==

*[http://gaudior.net/alma/biblio.html HCISec Bibliography]

*[http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hcisec/ HCISec] [[Yahoo%21_Group! Group]]

*[http://www.usablesecurity.com Usable Security Blog]

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[[Category:Computer security| ]]

[[Category:Human communication]]

[[Category:Human-computer interaction| ]]

[[Category:Computer security| ]]