Towards an Improved Understanding of Human Factors in Cybersecurity

EasyChair Preprint 2032

Abstract

Cybersecurity (CS) cannot be addressed by technology alone; the most intractable aspects are in fact sociotechnical. As a result, the ‘human factor’ has been recognised as being the weakest and most obscure link in creating safe and secure digital environments.

This study examines the subjective and often complex nature of human factors in the CS context through a systematic literature review of 27 articles which span across technical, behaviour and social sciences perspectives.

Results from our study suggest that there is still a predominately technical focus to the study of human factors in CS, with minimal consolidation of attributes of human factors, theoretical lens applied and the research methodology used. To ensure that these gaps are addressed, we propose that future studies take into consideration (a) consolidating the human factors; (b) taking an interdisciplinary approach; (c) conducting additional qualitative research whilst investigating human factors in CS.

Keyphrases: Cybersecurity, Human Factors, Personality, culture, demographics

@booklet{EasyChair:2032,
  author    = {Jongkil Jeong and Joanne Mihelcic and Gillian Oliver and Carsten Rudolph},
  title     = {Towards an Improved Understanding of Human Factors in Cybersecurity},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 2032},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2019}}