Use of and Concerns about Online Authentication Technologies among British University Staff and Students

Online services are now an essential part of everyday life, with most people having many online accounts. Staff and students at universities have much important information online which needs to be secure. The technologies used for authentication of online accounts as now grown from passwords to a range of different technologies including two-factor authentication (2FA), single sign on (SSO), biometric authentication (most often face or fingerprint recognition), Federated Identity Management (FIM), and Fast Identity Online (FIDO). Research has shown usability issues and user concerns about these technologies. An online survey was undertaken to investigate current levels of use and concerns about seven authentication technologies among British university staff and students. A wide range of technologies was used with passwords still being the most frequently used. Participants’ ratings of ease of use, trust, perception of security and confidence in using the technologies was generally high, and ratings of concerns were low. There were interesting differences between the staff and student samples.