INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USAGE: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SMARTPHONE SECURITY AWARENESS AND PRACTICES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

Mobile phone usage is growing at an unprecedented rate. The ability to remain connected, the ease of smart phone use and declining mobile costs have allowed this technology to expand at a very high rate globally. The study aimed to quantitatively determine the reasons for inactive practice of security measures of smart-phone usage among college students in the United States. The study also examined the Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) level in relation to the level of smart-phone security measures, determined the levels of security measures on smart-phone (SP) by users, and establish the relationship between CFC level and the levels of smart-phone security measures among college students. Using a quantitative research survey and simple random sampling procedure, the methodology focused on analyzing data through testing of hypotheses. The t-test, Pearson’s correlation, regression coefficients and their respective p-values. The results showed 69.8% of college students set PIN, password and screen lock on their smart phones while 74.8% were cautious with smart phone applications and 6.2% practiced on setting of security software including rooting services. On the other hand, 35.4% protected their SP data through encryption, 47.4% had data checks and security alert while 46.2% had set Bluetooth applications and 41.4% had used backup storage for sensitive data. Use of Biometrics or other security unknown security adoptions were not included in the study. The study also found that lack of knowledge about technology or applications for SP security, lack of security habits and practices, rigorous involvement of setting SP security details like backups, encryption, security software etc., assumptions that SP are security and tamper-proof as well as lack of training, guidance and after sale services on SP security are significant reasons for lack of security measures practices concerning smart-phone usage by college students.