Yi-Chia Wu, Francis Kofi Andoh-Baidoo, Robert Crossler & Jesus Tanguma International Journal of Security (IJS), Volume (5) : Issue (1), 2011 13 An Exploratory Study of the Security Management Practices of Hispanic Students Yi-Chia Wu ywu@utpa.edu College of Business Administration Department of Marketing University of Texas-Pan American Edinburg, 78539, USA Francis Kofi Andoh-Baidoo andohbaidoof@utpa.edu College of Business Administration Department of Computer Information Systems & Quantitative Methods University of Texas-Pan American Edinburg, 78539, USA Robert Crossler recrossler@utpa.edu College of Business Administration Department of Computer Information Systems & Quantitative Methods University of Texas-Pan American Edinburg, 78539, USA Jesus Tanguma tangumaj@utpa.edu College of Business Administration Department of Computer Information Systems & Quantitative Methods University of Texas-Pan American Edinburg, 78539, USA Abstract The growing Internet and mobile technologies create opportunities for efficient communication and coordination among individuals and institutions. However, these technologies also pose security challenges. Although users’ understanding and behavior towards security solutions have been recognized as critical to ensuring effective security solutions, few research articles have examined user security management practices. The literature lacks empirical research that examines users’ everyday behavior and practices to managing security. In an effort to bridge the gap in user security management practices, this paper presents an exploratory study of how Hispanic college students manage the security of their computer systems. Specifically, we examine how ethnicity, gender, and age influence users’ behavior towards updating their operating systems, non-operating system software and antivirus definitions. The results reveal that gender influences the frequency of updating operating systems, antivirus definitions and non- operating system software, whereas ethnicity and age influence only frequency of update of operating systems but not the frequency of update of non-operating system software and antivirus definitions. Keywords: Non-operating System Software, Antivirus Software, Security Practices, Software Update, Users’ Security Management, Hispanic. 1. INTRODUCTION Even as the Internet and mobile technologies facilitate electronic commerce and effective global coordination and communication, users’ security management practices can hinder the benefits that such technologies promise [1]. Studies show that users’ security management is a problem [2] [3] [4] [5]. Other studies have noted that people tend to delegate computer security responsibilities to technology, trusted individuals or trusted institutions [1] [2]. When an individual