CSO Executive Summit

Jargon Hinders Everyday Users’ Understanding of Cyber Security (February 19, 2010) Computer experts meeting in Belgium last week discussed problems in cyber security culture that stand in the way of helping regular users protect themselves and their computers.  Jargon lends a “mystique” to security, which results in a lack of clarity and among some, a sense of superiority over those who are not well versed in the technical aspects of cyber security.   Cyber security language needs to be simplified and

users need to be told why they are being asked to do things like create strong passwords and keep them secret, or install security software; the risks of not taking cyber security precautions need to be made clear and real.  Education about cyber security needs to be informative and interesting, and created to target various age groups and audiences. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35479954/ns/technology_and_science-security/

[Editor's Note (Schultz): The experts were certainly correct in saying that jargon hinders users' understanding of cyber security concepts.

What the experts should also have pointed out is that jargon hinders the understanding of concepts in the entire information technology arena--it is by no means a cyber security-specific problem.]