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1 – 10 of over 2000Shekhar Ashok Pawar and Hemant Palivela
Purpose: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the most significant contributors to maximum employment generation, the gross domestic product (GDP) of many countries, and the…
Abstract
Purpose: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the most significant contributors to maximum employment generation, the gross domestic product (GDP) of many countries, and the overall global economy. It is also evident that cyber threats are becoming a big challenge for SMEs, which is directly impacting global economy.
Methodology: Existing research inputs were accessed to understand current cyber threats for SMEs and their cybersecurity posture. Additionally, this research has collected the latest insights by taking direct inputs from SMEs and conducting a well-designed research survey. It has provided a few direct inputs to designing solutions for the SME segment. For analysis and recommendations, cybersecurity best practices and core cybersecurity concepts are considered at the centre of the solution.
Findings: Implementing existing cybersecurity standards or frameworks is not easy for SMEs, as they generally have limited resources and different priorities for their business when it comes to the implementation of any cybersecurity controls. Currently, many cybersecurity standards are not able to support the implementation of business domain-specific controls.
Practical implications: Along with the research findings shared in this chapter, as a resolution to the problems faced by SMEs, the authors will propose a new framework as a solution. This framework is designed using core concepts of cybersecurity such as confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA triad) as well as defence in depth (DiD) mechanisms in each layer of organisation. The authors will also share a high-level idea about how reliable artificial intelligence-based software can help identify recommended controls for particular SMEs.
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Thomas Stafford, George Deitz and Yaojie Li
The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of information security policy compliance and the role of information systems auditing in identifying non-compliance in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of information security policy compliance and the role of information systems auditing in identifying non-compliance in the workplace, with specific focus on the role of non-malicious insiders who unknowingly or innocuously thwart corporate information security (IS) directives by engaging in unsafe computing practices. The ameliorative effects of auditor-identified training and motivational programs to emphasize pro-security behaviors are explored.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies qualitative case analysis of technology user security perceptions combined with interpretive analysis of depth interviews with auditors to examine and explain the rubrics of non-malicious technology user behaviors in violation of cybersecurity directives, to determine the ways in which auditors can best assist management in overcoming the problems associated with security complacency among users.
Findings
Enterprise risk management benefits from audits that identify technology users who either feel invulnerable to cyber threats and exploits or feel that workplace exigencies augur for expedient workarounds of formal cybersecurity policies.
Research limitations/implications
Implications for consideration of CyberComplacency and Cybersecurity Loafing expand the insider threat perspective beyond the traditional malicious insider perspective.
Practical implications
Implications for consideration of CyberComplacency and Cybersecurity Loafing include broadened perspectives for the consultative role of IS audit in the firm.
Social implications
CyberComplacency is a practice that has great potential for harm in all walks of life. A better understanding of these potential harms is beneficial.
Originality/value
This study is the first to characterize CyberComplacency as computer users who feel they operate invulnerable platforms and are subsequently motivated to engage in less cybersecurity diligence than the company would desire. This study is also the first to characterize the notion of Cybersecurity Loafing to describe technically competent workers who take unauthorized but expedient steps around certain security polices in the name of workgroup efficiency.
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Sezer Bozkus Kahyaoglu and Kiymet Caliyurt
The purpose of this study is to analyze the cybersecurity assurance approaches to determine the key issues and weaknesses within the internal audit and risk management…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the cybersecurity assurance approaches to determine the key issues and weaknesses within the internal audit and risk management perspective. Organizations increasingly rely on digital data to drive their growth and they are interconnected in a complex web to a multitude of stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, cybersecurity is defined, and cybersecurity assurance model is explained based on the relevant literature. In addition, the role of internal auditing is introduced within this new business landscape. Finally, recommendations are made to provide best practices for stakeholders.
Findings
There are four major cyber-focused standards and frameworks in the current literature, namely, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology, International Organization for Standardization, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and National Institute of Standards and Technology. In addition, there are many mechanisms in existence and operation currently which support cybersecurity assurance to prevent major threats. These include risk assessment, risk treatment, risk management, security assurance and auditing.
Research limitations/implications
Cyber risk is not something that can be avoided; instead, it must be managed. Hence, it is very important to maintain formal documentation on related cyber controls. Internal audit should be an integral part of cybersecurity assurance process, as internal audit have a unique position to look across organizations. The contribution of internal audit also provides comfort to the Board and Audit Committee.
Practical implications
A model is introduced how the internal audit and information security functions could work together to support organizations accomplish a cost-effective level of information security. The key issues and approaches are explained for how to become a trusted cybersecurity advisor and a sample cybersecurity awareness program checklist is provided at Appendix 1.
Social implications
Considering cybersecurity threats grow with speed, complexity, and impact, organizations are no longer satisfied with an answer to a question like “are we secure?” instead, they need the answer for such a question like “how to give a reasonable assurance that our business will be secure enough?”. In that respect, the role of internal audit is discussed based on the relevant literature and the current condition of the business environment.
Originality/value
A model is introduced how the internal audit and information security functions could work together to support organizations accomplish a cost-effective level of information security. The key issues and approaches are explained for how to become a trusted cybersecurity advisor and a sample cybersecurity awareness program checklist is provided at Appendix 1.
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The contribution of this study aims to twofold: First, it provides an overview of the current state of research on cyberattacks on Chinese supply chains (SCs). Second, it offers a…
Abstract
Purpose
The contribution of this study aims to twofold: First, it provides an overview of the current state of research on cyberattacks on Chinese supply chains (SCs). Second, it offers a look at the Chinese Government’s approach to fighting cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and its calls for global governance.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review was conducted on Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, in Social Sciences Citation Index journals, Scopus and Google Scholar, published between 2010–2021. A systematic review of practitioner literature was also conducted.
Findings
Chinese SCs have become a matter of national security, especially in the era of cyber warfare. The risks to SC have been outlined. Cybersecurity regulations are increasing as China aims to build a robust environment for cyberspace development. Using the Technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, the results show that the top five factors influencing the adoption process in firms are as follows: relative advantage and technological readiness (Technology context); top management support and firm size (Organization context) and government policy and regulations (Environment context).
Research limitations/implications
This review focuses on cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and great care was taken when selecting search terms. However, the author acknowledges that the choice of databases/terms may have excluded a few articles on cyberattacks from this review.
Practical implications
This review provides managerial insights for SC practitioners into how cyberattacks have the potential to disrupt the global SC network.
Originality/value
Past researchers proposed a taxonomic approach to evaluate progress with SC integration into Industry 4.0; in contrast, this study is one of the first steps toward an enhanced understanding of cyberattacks on Chinese SCs and their contribution to the global SC network using the TOE framework.
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Eileen M. Decker, Matthew Morin and Eric M. Rosner
Cyber threats present constantly evolving and unique challenges to national security professionals at all levels of government. Public and private sector entities also face a…
Abstract
Cyber threats present constantly evolving and unique challenges to national security professionals at all levels of government. Public and private sector entities also face a constant stream of cyberattacks through varied methods by actors with myriad motivations. These threats are not expected to diminish in the near future. As a result, homeland security and national security professionals at all levels of government must understand the unique motivations and capabilities of malicious cyber actors in order to better protect against and respond to cyberattacks. This chapter outlines the most common cyberattacks; explains the motivations behind these attacks; and describes the federal, state, and local efforts to address these threats.
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Caner Asbaş and Şule Tuzlukaya
A cyberattack is an attempt by cybercriminals as individuals or organizations with unauthorized access using one or more computers and computer systems to steal, expose, change…
Abstract
A cyberattack is an attempt by cybercriminals as individuals or organizations with unauthorized access using one or more computers and computer systems to steal, expose, change, disable or eliminate information, or to breach computer information systems, computer networks, and computer infrastructures. Cyberattackers gain a benefit from victims, which may be criminal such as stealing data or money, or political or personal such as revenge. In cyberattacks, various targets are possible. Some potential targets for businesses include business and customer financial data, customer lists, trade secrets, and login credentials.
Cyberattackers use a variety of methods to gain access to data, including malware such as viruses, worms, and spyware and phishing methods, man-in-the-middle attacks, denial-of-service attacks, SQL injection, zero-day exploit, and DNS tunneling.
Related to cyberattack, the term cyberwarfare is gaining popularity nowadays. Cyberwarfare is the use of cyberattacks by a state or an organization to cause harm as in warfare against another state's or organization's computer information systems, networks, and infrastructures.
Military, civil, and ideological motivations, or hacktivism can be used to launch a cyberwarfare. For these reasons, cyberwarfare may be used to conduct espionage, sabotage, propaganda, and economic disruption.
Considering highly digitalized business processes such as e-mails, digital banking, online conference, and digital manufacturing methods, damage of cyberwarfare to businesses and countries are unavoidable. As a result, developing strategies for defending against cyberattacks and cyberwarfare is critical for businesses. The concepts of cyberattack and cyberwarfare, as well as business strategies to be protected against them will be discussed in this chapter.
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Nikdokht Ghadiminia, Mohammad Mayouf, Sharon Cox and Jan Krasniewicz
Building information modelling (BIM) creates a golden thread of information of the facility, which proves useful to those with the malicious intent of breaching the security of…
Abstract
Purpose
Building information modelling (BIM) creates a golden thread of information of the facility, which proves useful to those with the malicious intent of breaching the security of the facility. A cyber-attack incurs adverse implications for the facility and its managing organisation. Hence, this paper aims to unravel the impact of a cybersecurity breach, by developing a BIM-facilities management (FM) cybersecurity-risk-matrix to portray what a cybersecurity attack means for various working areas of FM.
Design/methodology/approach
This study commenced with exploring cybersecurity within various stages of a BIM project. This showcased a heightened risk of cybersecurity at the post-occupancy phase. Hence, thematic analysis of two main domains of BIM-FM and cybersecurity in the built environment led to the development of a matrix that illustrated the impact of a cybersecurity attack on a BIM-FM organisation.
Findings
Findings show that the existing approaches to the management of cybersecurity in BIM-FM are technology-dependent, resulting in an over-reliance on technology and a lack of cybersecurity awareness of aspects related to people and processes. This study sheds light on the criticality of cyber-risk at the post-occupancy phase, highlighting the FM areas which will be compromised as a result of a cyber-attack.
Originality/value
This study seeks to shift focus to the people and process aspects of cybersecurity in BIM-FM. Through discussing the interconnections between the physical and digital assets of a built facility, this study develops a cyber-risk matrix, which acts as a foundation for empirical investigations of the matter in future research.
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James Crotty and Elizabeth Daniel
Consumers increasingly rely on organisations for online services and data storage while these same institutions seek to digitise the information assets they hold to create…
Abstract
Purpose
Consumers increasingly rely on organisations for online services and data storage while these same institutions seek to digitise the information assets they hold to create economic value. Cybersecurity failures arising from malicious or accidental actions can lead to significant reputational and financial loss which organisations must guard against. Despite having some critical weaknesses, qualitative cybersecurity risk analysis is widely used in developing cybersecurity plans. This research explores these weaknesses, considers how quantitative methods might address the constraints and seeks the insights and recommendations of leading cybersecurity practitioners on the use of qualitative and quantitative cyber risk assessment methods.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based upon a literature review and thematic analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews with 16 senior cybersecurity practitioners representing financial services and advisory companies from across the world.
Findings
While most organisations continue to rely on qualitative methods for cybersecurity risk assessment, some are also actively using quantitative approaches to enhance their cybersecurity planning efforts. The primary recommendation of this paper is that organisations should adopt both a qualitative and quantitative cyber risk assessment approach.
Originality/value
This work provides the first insight into how senior practitioners are using and combining qualitative and quantitative cybersecurity risk assessment, and highlights the need for in-depth comparisons of these two different approaches.
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Masike Malatji, Sune Von Solms and Annlizé Marnewick
This paper aims to identify and appropriately respond to any socio-technical gaps within organisational information and cybersecurity practices. This culminates in the equal…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and appropriately respond to any socio-technical gaps within organisational information and cybersecurity practices. This culminates in the equal emphasis of both the social, technical and environmental factors affecting security practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The socio-technical systems theory was used to develop a conceptual process model for analysing organisational practices in terms of their social, technical and environmental influence. The conceptual process model was then applied to specifically analyse some selected information and cybersecurity frameworks. The outcome of this exercise culminated in the design of a socio-technical systems cybersecurity framework that can be applied to any new or existing information and cybersecurity solutions in the organisation. A framework parameter to help continuously monitor the mutual alignment of the social, technical and environmental dimensions of the socio-technical systems cybersecurity framework was also introduced.
Findings
The results indicate a positive application of the socio-technical systems theory to the information and cybersecurity domain. In particular, the application of the conceptual process model is able to successfully categorise the selected information and cybersecurity practices into either social, technical or environmental practices. However, the validation of the socio-technical systems cybersecurity framework requires time and continuous monitoring in a real-life environment.
Practical implications
This research is beneficial to chief security officers, risk managers, information technology managers, security professionals and academics. They will gain more knowledge and understanding about the need to highlight the equal importance of both the social, technical and environmental dimensions of information and cybersecurity. Further, the less emphasised dimension is posited to open an equal but mutual security vulnerability gap as the more emphasised dimension. Both dimensions must, therefore, equally and jointly be emphasised for optimal security performance in the organisation.
Originality/value
The application of socio-technical systems theory to the information and cybersecurity domain has not received much attention. In this regard, the research adds value to the information and cybersecurity studies where too much emphasis is placed on security software and hardware capabilities.
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Rajni Goel, Anupam Kumar and James Haddow
This study aims to develop a framework for cybersecurity risk assessment in an organization. Existing cybersecurity frameworks are complex and implementation oriented. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a framework for cybersecurity risk assessment in an organization. Existing cybersecurity frameworks are complex and implementation oriented. The framework can be systematically used to assess the strategic orientation of a firm with respect to its cybersecurity posture. The goal is to assist top-management-team with tailoring their decision-making about security investments while managing cyber risk at their organization.
Design/methodology/approach
A thematic analysis of existing publications using content analysis techniques generates the initial set of keywords of significance. Additional factor analysis using the keywords provides us with a framework comprising of five pillars comprising prioritize, resource, implement, standardize and monitor (PRISM) for assessing a firm’s strategic cybersecurity orientation.
Findings
The primary contribution is the development of a novel PRISM framework, which enables cyber decision-makers to identify and operationalize a tailored approach to address risk management and cybersecurity problems. PRISM framework evaluation will help organizations identify and implement the most tailored risk management and cybersecurity approach applicable to their problem(s).
Originality/value
The new norm is for companies to realize that data stratification in cyberspace extends throughout their organizations, intertwining their need for cybersecurity within business operations. This paper fulfills an identified need improve the ability of company leaders, as CIOs and others, to address the growing problem of how organizations can better handle cyber threats by using an approach that is a methodology for cross-organization cybersecurity risk management.
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