Cybersecurity Behavior During COVID-19 and the Impact of Policy Awareness and Demographics on Information Security Behavior and Its Determinants

Combination of expansion of information and technology and stress caused by uncertainty of Covid19 has brought many complexities to cyber security. The aim of this study is to investigate the behavior of people and their knowledge around cybersecurity using a proposed framework. The framework is tested using survey results from 229 people. Structural equation modeling and ANOVA facilitate testing the hypotheses. Results of this study confirm that stress related to Covid19 positively affects threat appraisal, cue to action and response efficacy which in turn can contribute to cybersecurity aware behavior. Also from other determinants of information security compliance behavior, self-efficacy, peer behavior and response efficacy have a significant impact on cyber aware behavior. From the experience and knowledge perspective, threat knowledge positively enhances threat appraisal and having prior experience with cybersecurity practices positively contributes to self-efficacy and response efficacy. To attain the next goal for this study we explored the impact of different demographic groups and policy awareness in cybersecurity knowledge and behavior. Firstly, the findings support a significant difference between men and women in self-efficacy and response efficacy. Secondly, age had a significant impact on Cybersecurity behavior, Peer Behavior and Threat knowledge. Thirdly, education groups significantly differ in on peer behavior, self-efficacy and threat knowledge. At last, whether or not individuals are aware of their organization’s policy makes a significant difference on Peer Behavior, Peer Guardianship, Cue to action, Self-efficacy, Response efficacy, Perceived vulnerability and Prior experience with cybersecurity practices.