Sicher durchs Netz: Aufklärung über die Gefahren im Online-Alltag

Abstract

Digitalisation is very much a part of everyday life in society. This societal transformation does not only have positive consequences. In recent years, cybercrime has reached unprecedented levels. Both, the German Federal Office for Security and Information Technology and the Austrian Federal Chancellery warn of the dangers lurking on the Internet. The aim of this paper is therefore to identify and explain the currently relevant cyber-attacks against private individuals. Building on this, awareness of these dangers and how they are dealt with is analysed in qualitative expert interviews. The findings of this study and the findings from existing literature should ultimately serve to promote a comprehensive understanding of cyber threats against private individuals and raise awareness of these dangers. The thesis begins with an extensive literature research, taking into account relevant keywords such as cyber-attacks, identity theft and phishing. This is followed by an in-depth analysis of the literature found. Subsequently, an empirical study consisting of a further literature analysis and qualitative interviews with private individuals of different age groups, more precisely with the ‘Internet target group’ is presented. The interviews are conducted on the basis of a pre-prepared guideline and the resulting content is analyzed and evaluated qualitatively. The results of the interviews with the experts show that although there is a general awareness of cyber-attacks, there are still gaps in knowledge and misunderstandings. Many of the interviewees do not implement any of the specific protective measures mentioned by themselves, either due to a lack of knowledge or a misjudgment of the effort involved. It is emphasized that more educational work and preventative measures are needed, especially for older people. It is clear, that further research and practical solutions are needed to improve awareness and the effectiveness of protective measures against cyber-attacks. The thesis provides comprehensive insight into the awareness of private individuals regarding different types of cyber-attacks and emphasizes the complexity of the challenges in the area of cyber security.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Harald Konnerth (Supervisor)