Security Practices of Students

This paper presents results of a survey of the security practices of introductory IS and MIS students that was conducted with the intent both to enliven classroom discussion of security topics and to provide an understanding of the state of student knowledge of security issues which can serve to guide curriculum development in this area. Survey results suggest that students, almost without exception, have anti-virus and personal firewall security software installed on their personal computers. Students are also found to be rather conscientious with regard to protecting their PCs and avoiding viruses and scams. However, significant numbers of students, particularly introductory students, tend to view tight network security rules as being overly stringent. Introductory students may not yet have the level of awareness of net-work security requirements that will be required when they enter the workplace