Ascertaining the Relationship between Security Awareness and the Security Behavior of Individuals

Security threats caused by the inappropriate actions of the user continue to be a significant security problem within any organization. The purpose of this study was to continue the efforts of Katz by assessing the security behavior and practices of working professionals. Katz conducted a study that assessed whether the faculty and staff at Armstrong Atlantic State University had been performing the simple everyday practices and behavior necessary to avert insider threats to information security. Critical in understanding human behavior is in knowing how behavior varies across different groups or demographics. Because a user\u27s behavior can be influenced by demographic groups, this study adapted Katz\u27s study by examining the influence on the security behavior of four demographic groups identified by gender, age, education, and occupation. Like Katz, this study used a 5-point Likert scale quantitative self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire to assess the participants\u27 security practices and behaviors. The questionnaire was developed in two sections: Section 1 used a binary scale to gather the participants\u27 demographics data while Section 2 used a 5-point Likert scale to measure the participants\u27 security behaviors. The sample population was derived from working professionals at the General Dynamic and Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault (GD & PM AAA) Facility in Woodbridge, Virginia. The total population at PM AAA Office was 288, of which 87 or 30% completed the survey. Results of the demographic survey indicate that (a) women were more security aware than their male counterparts, (b) younger participants were more security aware than their older counterparts, (c) participants who did not attend college were more security aware than their college-educated counterparts, and (d) participants in nontechnical positions were more security aware than their counterparts in technical positions. The results indicate that a relation exists between the participants\u27 security behaviors and their levels of security awareness