Onlooker effect and affective responses in information security violation mitigation

摘要

The average total cost of a security violation in the United States grew to almost $8 million in 2018. Still, current employees are the top source of security incidents. Many insider threats to cybersecurity are not malicious but are intentional. Many organizations have well-delineated policies intended to guide insiders' cybersecurity-related behaviors. However, the effectiveness of these policies is questionable. While many behavioral research projects have investigated factors that mitigate information security violations, there is still a need to better understand workplace social dynamics as a contributing factor. This study investigates the perception of being observed by onlookers as one of these factors. Using an experimental design, this study found that the perceived presence of an onlooker who presents a threat results in potential violators experiencing negative emotions (shame and guilt). Feelings of guilt reduce intentions to violate information security policy in a workplace.