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Intentionality and Agency in Security

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Security Protocols XXVI (Security Protocols 2018)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNSC,volume 11286))

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Abstract

In this paper we explore the tension between automatic security and intentionality. During a user trial of Pico we offered two proximity authentication modalities: scanning a QR code, or pressing a button in the Pico app that is available only when the user is in Bluetooth range of a machine they can authenticate to. The feedback from this trial provides an insight into users’ expectations with regard to intentionality. We discuss how this relates to the Pico authentication solution, how it has informed future Pico design decisions, and we suggest some ways in which security and usability researchers could address the issue of intentionality in future security design.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    With each new mention of a participant, we report the operating system they used Pico on.

  2. 2.

    For quotes from pilot participants, we use the format of PPX, that is “pilot participant” followed by a number.

  3. 3.

    Any participant quotes coming from questionnaires are reproduced as written by our participants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the European Research Council (ERC) for funding this research through grant StG 307224 (Pico).

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Correspondence to Kat Krol .

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Krol, K., Llewellyn-Jones, D., Aebischer, S., Dettoni, C., Stajano, F. (2018). Intentionality and Agency in Security. In: Matyáš, V., Švenda, P., Stajano, F., Christianson, B., Anderson, J. (eds) Security Protocols XXVI. Security Protocols 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11286. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03251-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03251-7_13

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03251-7

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