Usable security and aesthetics: Designing for engaging online security warnings and cautions to optimise user security whilst affording ease of use

As of January 2021 there are 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide [39]. Moreover, during the COVID-19 lock downs, people's online traffic increased significantly, to the extent that many are still doing their shopping, banking, learning, working, exercise, entertainment and even socialising online. In this increasingly digital existence, the security issue cannot be ignored especially internet security. As more of users daily tasks are performed online, people's mobile phone, laptop, and tablet interfaces have become extensions of themselves and it is crucial that these afford and support a user in remaining secure. To ensure this, the research proposes that the everyday user needs to be able to engage and use the security driven mechanisms on these devices and applications (i.e. warnings and cautions). However, in reality many users often ignore and discard online warning and caution signs. This paper will introduce plans for some future research that will explore aesthetics for the design of a new body of online security warning and cautions. Like in the physical world, the aim is to ensure that people are equipped with effective warning and caution signs to protect them as they go about their day to day online tasks. Making future design suggestions for not just usable and secure but also engaging online warnings, the research proposes to open up an entirely new avenue of study around usable security aesthetics.