Overview:

As Bruce Schneier remarks, “the more secure you make something, the less secure it becomes,” meaning that we cannot rely on purely technical solutions for security. We also need to consider the “human factors” that affect the security of our systems. Human factors that affect security might be how everyday users decide which security advice to (not) follow, why developers still introduce vulnerabilities into their code, and how security needs may differ for specialized populations.

This course is centered around understanding the human factors that affect security and privacy. We will discuss research focusing on a variety of important topics at the intersection of human factors and computer security and privacy and build skills to evaluate and conduct research in this field. The course is suitable for students interested in learning about security and privacy and human factors.

Semesters taught:

Spring 2024, Spring 2025