Abstract
Advances in cyber capabilities continue to cause apprehension among the public. With states engaging in cyber operations in pursuit of its perceived strategic utility, it is unsurprising that images of a “Cyber Pearl Harbor” remain appealing. It is crucial to note, however, that the offensive action in cyberspace has only had limited success over the past decade. It is estimated that less than 5% of these have achieved their stated political or strategic objectives. Moreover, only five states are thought to have the capabilities to inflict or threaten substantial damage. Consequently, this raises the question of what accounts for the continued sense of dread in cyberspace. The article posits that this dread results from the inappropriate use of cognitive shortcuts or heuristics. The findings herein suggest that the lack of experience in dealing with cyber operations encourages uncertainty, which motivates decision-makers to base their judgements on pre-existing, and possibly incorrect, conceptions of cyberspace. In response, the article segues into potential solutions that can mitigate unsubstantiated dread towards cyberspace by peering into the role that attributes at the organizational level can play in tempering the position of individuals. The suggested considerations are rooted in the interactions between the micro and macro level processes in forming judgments, sensemaking, and ultimately, mobilizing actions.
Highlights
On Friday, May 12, 2017, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), Spain’s Telefonica, and other entities were incapacitated by the WannaCry malware which infected over 200,000 computers in nearly 150 countries
Analysis reveals that 65.9% (79) of participants began the experiment with a distrust of cyberspace while the remaining 34.1% (41) indicated that they either trusted the domain or held no preference
Analysis reveals that 50.89% (57) of participants began the experiment with a distrust of cyberspace while the remaining 49.11% (55) indicated that they either trusted the domain or held no preference
Summary
On Friday, May 12, 2017, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), Spain’s Telefonica, and other entities were incapacitated by the WannaCry malware which infected over 200,000 computers in nearly 150 countries (R. Goldman, 2017). On Friday, May 12, 2017, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), Spain’s Telefonica, and other entities were incapacitated by the WannaCry malware which infected over 200,000 computers in nearly 150 countries In 2001, Code Red exploited vulnerabilities leading to the infection of over 300,000 computers (Perrone, 2001). In 2003, Slammer initiated a denial-of-service attack and stalled Internet traffic while compromising approximately 75,000 computers within ten minutes (Boutin, 2003). These events reinforce negative perceptions towards cyber threats, yet overstate the scope of the problem. Anderson et al (2013) note that These events reinforce negative perceptions towards cyber threats, yet overstate the scope of the problem. Anderson et al (2013) note that
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
