Lachlan Moore, Tatsuya Mori (Waseda University, NICT)

This study delves into the utilization patterns, perceptions, and misconceptions surrounding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) among users in Canada and Japan. We administered a comprehensive survey to 234 VPN users in these two countries, aiming to elucidate the motivations behind VPN usage, users’ comprehension of VPN functionality, and prevalent misconceptions. A distinctive feature of our research lies in its cross-cultural comparison, a departure from previous studies predominantly centered on users within a Western context. Our findings underscore noteworthy distinctions among participant groups. Specifically, Japanese users predominantly employ VPNs for security purposes, whereas Canadian users leverage VPNs for a more diverse array of services, encompassing privacy and access to region-specific content. Furthermore, disparities in VPN understanding emerged, with Canadians demonstrating a superior grasp of VPN applications despite limited technical knowledge, while Japanese participants exhibited a more profound understanding of VPNs, particularly in relation to encrypting transmitted traffic. Notably, both groups exhibited a constrained awareness regarding the data logging practices associated with VPNs. This research significantly contributes to the broader comprehension of VPN usage and sheds light on the cultural intricacies that shape VPN adoption and perceptions, offering valuable insights into the diverse motivations and behaviors of users in Canada and Japan.

View More Papers

On-demand RFID: Improving Privacy, Security, and User Trust in...

Youngwook Do (JPMorganChase and Georgia Institute of Technology), Tingyu Cheng (Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Notre Dame), Yuxi Wu (Georgia Institute of Technology and Northeastern University), HyunJoo Oh(Georgia Institute of Technology), Daniel J. Wilson (Northeastern University), Gregory D. Abowd (Northeastern University), Sauvik Das (Carnegie Mellon University)

Read More

Stop to Unlock: Improving the Security of Android Unlock...

Alexander Suchan (SBA Research); Emanuel von Zezschwitz (Usable Security Methods Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany); Katharina Krombholz (CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security)

Read More

WIP: Towards a Certifiably Robust Defense for Multi-label Classifiers...

Dennis Jacob, Chong Xiang, Prateek Mittal (Princeton University)

Read More

Why Do Programmers Do What They Do? A Theory...

Lavanya Sajwan, James Noble, Craig Anslow (Victoria University of Wellington), Robert Biddle (Carleton University)

Read More