Cyber Hygiene Practices Across Cultures: A Cross Cultural Study of the US and Saudi Arabia based Information Systems Users

Abstract

Effective cyber hygiene practices have been proposed as valuable in coping with cyber risks, but these practices, to date, have assumed a Western or U.S. nomology. For persons of non-western descent, differences in cultural norms, exigencies, and constraints will most likely require them to approach cyber hygiene differently and, perhaps, redefine what it means to practice it effectively. Using a sample of home Information System users in US and Saudi Arabia, this study tests the hypothesis that national culture moderates the effect of individuals’ perceived expectancy and value on their motivation towards adhering to cyber hygiene practices.