- Title
- Modelling the factors that motivate home users to protect their home networking devices
- Creator
- Tekeni, Luzuko
- Subject
- Homeowners
- Subject
- Wireless communication systems
- Date Issued
- 2023-04
- Date
- 2023-04
- Type
- Doctoral's theses
- Type
- Thesis
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64962
- Identifier
- vital:73998
- Description
- Most home users do not have access to the typical managed security measures employed in organizations, which leaves them alone in managing the security of their computing devices and home networks. This research focuses on the securing of home networking devices, which with faster, always-on networking technologies, are increasingly vulnerable to attack. To develop interventions that aim to assist home users with securing their home networking devices, it is imperative to understand why they protect or do not protect their home networking devices. Therefore, this research study models the factors that motivate home users to protect their home networking devices. The study limits data collection to South African fibre users, a fast-growing segment of the South African population. Following a comprehensive literature review, the study adopted the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) as the primary framework for the conceptual research model. Factors from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) were included to enrich the theoretical model. A measurement instrument consisting of 53 questionnaire items measuring thirteen (13) constructs was developed. After that, a structural model that hypothesized fifteen (15) relationships between constructs was created. The conceptual research model was evaluated through structural equation modeling (SEM) using empirical data gathered from a sample of 392 South African home fibre users. Interestingly, trust in the service provider did not significantly impact perceived vulnerability or severity. This implies that initiatives from the service provider will not necessarily have the desired impact on home user behavior. Additionally, trust in technology did not impact perceived severity and only partially impacted perceived vulnerability. This suggests that home users did not think that the security features of their home networking devices helped much. Of course, these results are in the context of this study and may not necessarily be generalizable to other populations or contexts. Further work to understand the role of service and technology providers may be helpful. The negative relationship between technology anxiety and both perceived task anxiety and self-efficacy supports the call for more or better security awareness interventions. The positive relationship between social influence and perceived vulnerability and severity suggests that these awareness interventions may be best delivered through community involvement. This study contributes to understanding the factors that influence home users’ intentions to protect their home networking devices.
- Description
- Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2023
- Format
- computer
- Format
- online resource
- Format
- Format
- 1 online resource (xiv, 217 pages)
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela University
- Rights
- All Rights Reserved
- Rights
- Open Access
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | Tekeni, L.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |