Yasuhiro Fujihara

Towards an Interface causing Discomfort for Security: A User Survey on the Factors of Discomfort

It is necessary for users of computer systems to be aware of security threats. Our research is to implement an interface with which one would feel discomfort so that s/he would be aware of security risks. This paper reports our research on an explanatory factor analysis of discomfort feelings. As a result of the explanatory factor analysis, we present seven factors which contribute to discomfort feeling.

Usability issues in security

Usability issues in security have been discussed such that users could use the security tools easier. On contrary we presume another aspect of usability issues in security; an interface which causes a slight disturbance and discomfort so that a user would be aware of security threats and risks. The idea is that we should not feel Anshin to be secure. Anshin is a Japanese indicating the sense of security. We need a risk-aware interface to notice an insecure situation so that we would install security countermeasures. It is a warning interface for the insecure situations. We show how we could implement such an interface in a mail system to prevent users from sending email messages to incorrect destination addresses.

A user survey on the sense of security, Anshin

Traditional research on security has been based on the assumption that users would feel secure when provided with secure systems and services. In this research we address factors influencing users’ sense of security. This paper reports our recent discoveries regarding the structure of the sense of security – Anshin. We conducted a questionnaire survey with one hundred and nine civil servants working for a local government regarding the sense of security. This paper reports our survey.

Anshin as Emotional Trust: A Comparison Study between U.S. and Japanese Non-computer-science Students

Traditional research on security and safety has been based on the assumption that a user feels secure and safe when using objectively secure and safe systems and services. In this research we investigate users’ subjective sense of security, which we call Anshin in Japanese. This paper reports our empirical comparison of factors contributing to non-computer-science students’ sense of security between the US and Japan based on a questionnaire survey. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) we identified two common factors contributing to the sense of security for students in Japan and the US: cognitive trust in terms of the integrity and competence of the service providers, and user interface usability of the systems and services. The EFA also identified two additional, different, factors in each of the populations. The third factor with US students is Cognitive Trust in terms of competence of the systems and services and the feeling of benevolence about systems and service without any reason, whereas with Japanese students it is the users’ assessment of risks. US students have knowledge as the fourth factor whereas the students in Japan have experience as the fourth factor.

A study of reconstruction watcher in disaster area

The Tohoku Region Pacific Coast Earthquake and its Tsunami caused serious damage to the Pacific coast in northeastern Japan. We suggest it is important to share the serious situation in the disaster area to gain public understanding and support. In this paper, we propose a Reconstruction Watcher which lets people share reconstruction progress visually to gain public understanding and to support the disaster area. To find practical issues and confirm the feasibility of the Reconstruction Watcher, we went to the disaster area and tried to show the serious situation to the public. This paper reports our challenges and findings.

The Comparison Study between the US and Japan on the Sense of Security, Anshin, with Non-Computer-Science Students

Traditional research on security and safety has been based on the assumption that a user feels secure and safe when one provides the user with secure and safe systems and services. In this research we look into the users subjective feeling, the sense of security, called Anshin in the Japanese language. This paper reports our empirical study on a comparison between non-computer-science students in the US and Japan on their sense of security. We administered a questionnaire survey on the sense of security. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), we have identified four factors contributing to the sense of security both in Japan and in the U.S. We find that the students in the U.S. and Japan have two common factors, user interface and cognitive trust in the integrity and competence of the system and service providers.

A User Survey on the Interface Causing Discomfort for Warning

Security technology has been evaluated in terms of theoretical and engineering feasibility and mostly from the viewpoint of service providers. However, there has been no evaluation from the viewpoint of users. The term “security” includes objective viewpoints of security engineering and subjective factors such as sense of security. We have introduced the concept of “Anshin” (Hikage et al., 2007; Murayama et al., 2007). Anshin is a Japanese noun that literally means “to ease one’s mind”. We have used this term to indicate the sense of security. Since research on information security has been focused on its cognitive aspect, it is difficult to find specific studies related to the emotional aspect. On the other hand, some researchers have been considering the emotional aspects of trust. According to Xiao & Benbasat (2004), emotional trust is a feeling, whereas cognitive trust is cognition. Emotional trust is the feeling of interpersonal sensitivity and support (McAllister, 1995), that is, feeling secure about the trustee. More recent studies have accounted for the emotional aspects of trust in their frameworks for trust in electronic environments as well (Chopra & Wallace, 2003; Kuan & Bock, 2005). Luhmann (2000) reports on the relation between trust and confidence. Confidence is also an expectation that may lapse into disappointments. The distinction between confidence and trust is whether s/he is willing to consider alternatives. If s/he does not consider alternatives, they are in a situation of confidence. We explored an interesting concept in which an interface causing discomfort could let a user achieve Anshin, because the user would be aware of the danger and risks involved (Oikawa, 2008; Fujihara et al., 2008). In this paper, we report on the initial model of the discomfort felt by a user when using a computer. We use services and systems on the Internet under many security threats such as computer viruses and phishing. Quite often, users are unaware of such security threats; therefore, they do not take any countermeasures. We have investigated some factors of feelings of discomfort and constructed a causal structural model of discomfort in order to create an interface that causes discomfort.

Toward dependable online peer assessments a concept of the trust manegement on peer assessments

In E-learning it is one of available evaluation methods that students in the learning community evaluate each other (peer assessment). We consider methods to support assessments between learners that have not actually met. In such a context, it is important that trust exist between learners. In this paper, we describe the concept of peer assessments support system for dependable evaluation.