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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Intermediate

Psychological Acceptability

Design principle that security mechanisms should be easy to use so people do not bypass them.

Definition

Psychological acceptability recognizes that controls which are too burdensome lead users to find workarounds. Security interfaces should match users' mental models and minimize friction. Modern examples include passwordless authentication and single sign-on, which improve both usability and security.

Example

Replacing complex password rotation with passkeys reduces sticky notes on monitors.

Exam tip

If a question describes users circumventing a control, the root issue is often psychological acceptability.

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