Lachlan Moore, Tatsuya Mori (Waseda University, NICT)

This study delves into the utilization patterns, perceptions, and misconceptions surrounding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) among users in Canada and Japan. We administered a comprehensive survey to 234 VPN users in these two countries, aiming to elucidate the motivations behind VPN usage, users’ comprehension of VPN functionality, and prevalent misconceptions. A distinctive feature of our research lies in its cross-cultural comparison, a departure from previous studies predominantly centered on users within a Western context. Our findings underscore noteworthy distinctions among participant groups. Specifically, Japanese users predominantly employ VPNs for security purposes, whereas Canadian users leverage VPNs for a more diverse array of services, encompassing privacy and access to region-specific content. Furthermore, disparities in VPN understanding emerged, with Canadians demonstrating a superior grasp of VPN applications despite limited technical knowledge, while Japanese participants exhibited a more profound understanding of VPNs, particularly in relation to encrypting transmitted traffic. Notably, both groups exhibited a constrained awareness regarding the data logging practices associated with VPNs. This research significantly contributes to the broader comprehension of VPN usage and sheds light on the cultural intricacies that shape VPN adoption and perceptions, offering valuable insights into the diverse motivations and behaviors of users in Canada and Japan.

View More Papers

“I’m 73, you can’t expect me to have multiple...

Ashley Sheil (Munster Technological University), Jacob Camilleri (Munster Technological University), Michelle O Keeffe (Munster Technological University), Melanie Gruben (Munster Technological University), Moya Cronin (Munster Technological University) and Hazel Murray (Munster Technological University)

Read More

Certificate Transparency Revisited: The Public Inspections on Third-party Monitors

Aozhuo Sun (Institute of Information Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Jingqiang Lin (School of Cyber Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China), Wei Wang (Institute of Information Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Zeyan Liu (The University of Kansas), Bingyu Li (School of Cyber Science and Technology, Beihang University), Shushang Wen (School of…

Read More

SoK: A Proposal for Incorporating Gamified Cybersecurity Awareness in...

June De La Cruz (INSPIRIT Lab, University of Denver), Sanchari Das (INSPIRIT Lab, University of Denver)

Read More

The Fault in Our Stars: An Analysis of GitHub...

Simon Koch, David Klein, and Martin Johns (TU Braunschweig)

Read More