PASSWORDS USE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. THE CASE OF A MEXICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Text-based passwords are a fundamental mechanism for protecting access and data. However, paradoxically, weak, or misused passwords represent dangerous vulnerabilities for computer systems and their users. The objectives of this study were to characterize and compare the structure and use of passwords among university students in three academic programs offered by a Mexican state university. The participants were 299 students enrolled in Administration, Information Technology, and Public Accounting undergraduate programs. The research design was quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational. A questionnaire was administered. The collected answers were entered into SPSS software. Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation tests were performed. Information