Securing User eXperience: A Review for the End-Users' Software Robustness

Millions of users all over the world nowadays spend many hours daily using social networks on a range of devices (desktop, tablet, mobile), in many languages and countries, under very different systems of governance, and in wide-ranging social, religious, cultural and political environments. But the same software (System Services, Operating Systems “OSes”, Hypervisors, Applications and Utilities) is still called upon to function in contexts defined by these vast differences in terms of quality, reliability, efficiency and security. All domestic appliances, contemporary cars and almost everything powered by electricity is now equipped with at least a rudimentary interface and ready-to-run software. Electronic transactions are now routine and there is a huge need for online security and privacy. Bring your own device (BYOD) is a trend that is appearing even in SMBs (Small and Midsize Business) with aspects, policy considerations, security models and traps. The success off all the above depends on User eXperience where the user intersects with the product (software). In this paper, we analyse the different approaches taken under the concept of User eXperience (UX) in tandem with the development of contemporary software, and examine their ramifications for the level of security and privacy. We will show that UX is a different concept from usability, examine the different academic approaches and their underlying viewpoints, and show how the tasks in question relate to security. We believe that the interface between UX and security is a demanding area which requires research in multiple dimensions. The need for designing and developing contemporary software which is smart, user-friendly, adaptive, secure and capable of protecting every type of user is immense.