An SME-specific cyber situational awareness model to predict the implementation of cyber security controls and precautions
Renaud, Karen and Ophoff, Jacques (2021) An SME-specific cyber situational awareness model to predict the implementation of cyber security controls and precautions. Organizational Cyber Security. ISSN 2635-0289 (In Press)
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Abstract
There is widespread concern about the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seem to be particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks. This is perhaps because smaller businesses lack sufficient situational awareness to make informed decisions in this space, or because they lack the resources to implement security controls and precautions. In this paper, we extend Endsley's theory of situation awareness to propose a model of SMEs' cyber situational awareness, and the extent to which this awareness triggers the implementation of cyber security measures. We collected empirical data through an online survey of 361 UK-based SMEs, subsequently using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling to validate our model. The results show that heightened situational awareness, as well as resource availability, significantly impacts SMEs' implementation of cyber precautions and controls. We report on our findings and make recommendations that can help to improve situational awareness, which will have the effect of encouraging the implementation of cyber security measures.
ORCID iDs
Renaud, Karen
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Item type: Article ID code: 76971 Dates: DateEvent18 June 2021Published18 June 2021AcceptedKeywords: small and medium size enterprise (SME), cyber security, security control implementation, Electronic computers. Computer science, Information Systems, Software Subjects: Science > Mathematics > Electronic computers. Computer science Department: Faculty of Science > Computer and Information Sciences Depositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 02 Jul 2021 09:32 Last modified: 07 Sep 2023 00:56 Related URLs: URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/76971