Employees attitude towards cyber security and risky online behaviours: An empirical assessment in the United Kingdom

The present study aimed to explore if the size of company an individual works for, age or attitudes towards cyber security affected frequency to engage in risky online behaviours. A total of 515 participants aged between 18-84 in full or part-time employment were asked to complete a questionnaire that consisted of two scales. One measured their attitude towards cyber security and general awareness of cyber crime, the other examined the types of ‘risky’ cyber security behaviours they were engaged in. The results demonstrated a significant negative correlation between attitudes towards cyber security and risky cyber security behaviours, with more negative attitudes being linked to higher levels of risky behaviours. There were also significant differences according to company size and age group according to frequency of engaging in risky cyber security behaviour and attitudes towards cyber security. The findings are presented as furthering our understanding of how employee attitudes contribute to company cyber security, as well as highlighting how the size of an organisation could be linked to difference in knowledge and adherence to ISA protocols.