Colorado State University Mod 4 Moving from Passwords to Authenticators Discussion

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Research Proposal
Dillion Pitcock
CSU Global
ISM 531
Dr. Rallapalli
August 26, 2021
Research Proposal
Topic: Moving from Passwords to Authenticators
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The research topic I have chosen is moving from passwords to authenticators. My interest
in this topic is triggered by real-life experiences and for academic purposes. I have been a victim
of a small-scale breach in which all my social media account was compromised and the impacts
on my mental well-being were significant. Dastane et al. (2020) argued that bad passwords
contributed to a high rate of data breaches and the loss of personal data and privacy. A similar
occurrence at Equifax resulted in the loss of personal information for over 127 million people
(Federal Trade Commission, 2019). I can attest that I have one password for all my account on
social media and other IoT devices. Hence, I would like to investigate how moving from
passwords to authenticators provides an individual with an extra layer of protection. Adhering to
the principle of cyber security, I intend to explore how authenticators can be used to guarantee
the CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability) triad and thus contributing to knowledge on
the efficacy of authenticators in improving cyber security.
Research question
Research Question
How can two-factor authenticators limit data breaches?
Research Methodology
Investigating the research question will be supported through the utilization of case study
methodology. In this case, the single case I intend to use multiple case studies to gain insight on
past studies related to the use of passwords, the vulnerabilities of passwords, and the utilization
of authenticators in improving cyber security.
References
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Dastane, O., Bakon, K. A., & Johari, Z. (2020). The Effect of Bad Password Habits on Personal
Data Breach. International Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering Research, 8(10),
6950–6960. https://doi.org/10.30534/ijeter/2020/538102020
Federal Trade Commission. (2019, August). Equifax Data Breach Settlement. Federal Trade
Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/equifax-databreach-settlement