sPAN-pROP: Combatting Contextualized Social Media State-Linked Propaganda in the Middle East

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Aleroud, Ahmed; Melhem, Abdullah Bani; Alhussien, Nour; Albert, Craig

Abstract: Social Cyber-attacks such as propaganda, conspiracy theories, anger, and hate d ... Expand

Abstract: Social Cyber-attacks such as propaganda, conspiracy theories, anger, and hate discourse are very old phenomena that inflict harm to humans, organizations, national security, public officials, democratization efforts, careers, and policies. There have been significant efforts to identify anti-US speech on social media which includes propaganda. Such efforts largely ignore the attempts by other countries to manipulate social media in some regions including the Middle East. Research in this area is computational and solely focuses on fine tuning language models to detect general propaganda attacks. This paper addresses a new category of propaganda attacks that are tied to state-linked accounts that spread anti-US propaganda by taking advantages of specific geo-political crises in the Middle East. We investigated the role of general language models and training data to detect those forms of propaganda. Our study concludes that existing propaganda training data is unable to successfully detect targeted propaganda. We propose a contextualized span detection approach to identify these types of propaganda and show that our targeted training models work significantly better compared to the existing general propaganda detection approaches. Collapse

Topics: Twitter IT security threat social media armed conflict misinformation

Methods: language model experiment deep learning PyTorch literature study

Lessons from enterprise systems competency centers in adopting digital transformation initiatives: An assemblage approach

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Aryal, Arun; Truex, Duane; El Amrani, Redouane

Abstract: Firms are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic priority. ... Expand

Abstract: Firms are increasingly adopting digital transformation as a strategic priority. However, the path to successful transformation remains uncertain for many organizations. This paper examines the establishment and evolution of competency centers in two case study organizations, historically used in enterprise systems, in addressing the complexity and challenges of digital transformation. The interactions within these competency centers are analyzed through assemblage theory to understand the emergent relations between heterogeneous parts (technology, people, and orga­ nization) and the dynamic processes of new configurations. The insights from this research show the critical role of the competency center in any enterprise system’s success and how it could continue playing a central role in future digital transformation initiatives. By providing a new lens to examine these issues, the assemblage theory provided a new theoretical perspective to the IS field and a new alternative empirical setting to the organizational literature. Collapse

Topics: enterprise information system digital transformation enterprise resource planning IT skill business process management

Methods: qualitative interview case study personal interview design artifact literature study

An Adversarial Dance: Toward an Understanding of Insiders’ Responses to Organizational Information Security Measures

2023 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Balozian, Puzant; Burns, A.; Leidner, Dorothy

Abstract: Despite the increased focus on organizational security policies and programs, s ... Expand

Abstract: Despite the increased focus on organizational security policies and programs, some employees continue to engage in maladaptive responses to security measures (i.e., behaviors other than those recommended, intended, or prescribed). To help shed light on insiders' adaptive and maladaptive responses to IS security measures, we conducted a case study of an organization at the forefront of security policy initiatives. Drawing on the beliefs-actions-outcomes (BAO) model to analyze our case data, we uncover a potentially nonvirtuous cycle consisting of security-related beliefs, actions, and outcomes, which we refer to as an "adversarial dance." Explaining our results, we describe a novel belief framework that identifies four security belief profiles and uncovers an underexplored outcome of IS security: insiders' lived security experiences. We find that individuals' unfavorable lived security experiences produce counterproductive security-related beliefs that, in turn, lead to maladaptive behaviors. Maladaptive behaviors create new potential for security risk, leading to increased organizational security measures to counter them. Thus, the adversarial dance continues, as the new security measures have the potential to reinforce counterproductive security-related beliefs about the importance and risk of IS security and lead to new maladaptive behaviors. To help situate our findings within the current security literature, we integrate the results with prior research based on extant theories. While this paper is not the first to suggest that security measures can elicit maladaptive behaviors, the emergent belief framework and expanded BAO model of IS security constitute an important contribution to the behavioral IS security literature.Puzant Balozian is an assistant professor of computer information systems at James Madison University. His research focus is primarily on the impacts of organizational factors on individual user behaviors in the context of information security and privacy and addressing security policy compliance and violation. Collapse

Topics: IT security IT security defense productivity IT security threat anonymity

Methods: case study qualitative interview personal interview theory development survey

Theories: information systems theory neutralization theory behavioral theory

Clinical research from information systems practice

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Baskerville, Richard; vom Brocke, Jan; Mathiassen, Lars; Scheepers, Helana

Abstract: An increasing presence of practitioners with doctoral degrees in Information Sys ... Expand

Abstract: An increasing presence of practitioners with doctoral degrees in Information Systems and related disciplines holds promise to advance Information Systems research. The prospect is to gain more knowledge from the practical experience of developing, using, and managing information systems in context. To scientifically capitalise on this opportunity, this EJIS special issue introduces the research genre of “Information Systems Clinical Research”. The genre presents knowledge generated from practitioner-researcher interventions to achieve desired outcomes in information systems development, use, and management practice contexts. In this editorial, we introduce and conceptualise the genre; we present a research framework that defines its four key elements; and we discuss how to address its key challenges in research projects. As a result, we derive ten criteria for rigorous Information Systems Clinical Research and provide examples on how the articles published in the special issue have addressed these criteria. We conclude with a call to further advance clinical research as an important part of the Information Systems discipline. Collapse

Topics: IS discipline innovation management IT skill systems development digital innovation

Methods: qualitative interview focus group field study literature sample qualitative coding

Going Beyond Deterrence: A Middle-Range Theory of Motives and Controls for Insider Computer Abuse

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Burns, A. J.; Roberts, Tom L.; Posey, Clay; Lowry, Paul Benjamin; Fuller, Bryan

Abstract: Despite widespread agreement among practitioners and academicians that organizat ... Expand

Abstract: Despite widespread agreement among practitioners and academicians that organizational insiders are a significant threat to organizational information systems security, insider computer abuse (ICA)—unauthorized and deliberate misuse of organizational information resources by organizational insiders—remains a serious issue. Recent studies have shown that most employees are willing to share confidential or regulated information under certain circumstances, and nearly one-third to half of major security breaches are tied to insiders. These trends indicate that organizational security efforts, which generally focus on deterrence and sanctions, have yet to effectively address ICA. Therefore, leading security researchers and practitioners have called for a more nuanced understanding of insiders in respect to deterrence efforts. We answer these calls by proposing a middle-range theory of ICA that focuses on understanding the inherent tensions between insider motivations and organizational controls. Our careful review distinguishes two categories of personal motives for ICA: (1) instrumental (i.e., financial benefits) and (2) expressive (i.e., psychological contract violations) motives. Our novel theory of ICA also includes the influence of two classes of controls for ICA: (1) intrinsic (i.e., self-control) and (2) extrinsic (i.e., organizational deterrence) controls. We developed and empirically examined a research model based on our middle-range theory that explains a substantial portion of the variance in ICA. Specifically, our results indicate that both instrumental and expressive motives are positively related to ICA. Moreover, intrinsic self-control exerted significant direct and moderating influences in our research model, whereas extrinsic organizational deterrence failed to exhibit a direct effect on ICA and significantly moderated instrumental motives’ relationship with ICA only. Not only do our results show that self-control exerted a stronger effect on the model than deterrence did but they also help us identify the limits of deterrence in ICA research.History: Ola Henfridsson served as the senior editor and Debabrata Dey served as associate editor for this article.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1133. Collapse

Topics: IT security data security anonymity organizational control password

Methods: theory development partial least squares path modeling factor analysis data transformation PLS tool

Theories: control theory deterrence theory

A Taxonomy of Violations in Digital Asset Markets

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Clapham, Benjamin; Jakobs, Jenny; Schmidt, Julian; Gomber, Peter; Muntermann, Jan

Abstract: Numerous frauds, market manipulations and other violations have recently shaken ... Expand

Abstract: Numerous frauds, market manipulations and other violations have recently shaken investor confidence in digital asset markets and digital assets themselves. Yet, investor confidence and market integrity are key requirements for the continued success of crypto and other digital assets. In order to facilitate the integrity of digital asset markets and avoid integrity incidents in the future, a systematic overview of violations and their main characteristics is needed to develop appropriate countermeasures. Therefore, we develop a taxonomy of violations in digital asset markets and evaluate the taxonomy based on real-world cases. Our results show that many types of market manipulation in traditional financial markets can also be observed in digital asset markets. However, there are new and additional violations in digital asset markets. We also find that many violations depend on specific capabilities of the violator, certain trading conditions, and asset-specific characteristics. Collapse

Topics: IT security threat crypto wallet accounting information technology infrastructure smart contract

Methods: robustness check cluster analysis

Extending the Cyber Capabilities of Small to Midsize Businesses

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Croasdell, Dave; Lathrop, Logan; Elste, James

Abstract: This project explores disparities in the cybersecurity practices of small to mid ... Expand

Abstract: This project explores disparities in the cybersecurity practices of small to midsize businesses in comparison to larger organizations with more resources to allocate to cybersecurity. While the adoption of technical solutions offers many advantages, SMBs are struggling to maintain good cybersecurity practices in this era of digital transformation. Considering the overall security climate it is clear that SMBs are vulnerable to cyber threats, are being attacked more often and lack the proper resources or knowledge to effectively address threats. This paper proposes a model for SMBs to enhance their cyber capabilities with cybersecurity assessments and regular training provided by the National Guard’s Defensive Cyber Operations Element (DCO-E). Leveraging the capabilities of the DCO-E, in effect a “national cybersecurity squad,” to support a national cyber readiness and education campaign could be an effective method to enhance the cybersecurity of SMBs. The proposed model is supported with a initial survey results showing a promising willingness and support from SMBs. Collapse

Topics: IT security IT security threat business continuity planning

Methods: survey

Blockchain-based Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance for Fractional Ownership: Design and Implementation of A Decentralized Autonomous Agent System

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Cu, Mina; Peko, Gabrielle; Chan, Johnny; Sundaram, David

Abstract: Fractional ownership makes homeownership more affordable. But there are challeng ... Expand

Abstract: Fractional ownership makes homeownership more affordable. But there are challenges in a fractional ownership real estate transaction (FORET) regarding governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) processes. Centralized GRC solutions are less effective in managing the tiered structure of communications in a FORET, which can lead to principal-agent problems such as information asymmetry, risk aversion, and moral hazard. In this research we investigate how these principal-agent problems in FORET could be mitigated. Using an agency theory perspective, we adopt a design science multimethodological research approach. We propose conceptual and system artefacts to support the design and implementation of a decentralized autonomous agent system. These artefacts deliver a formal problem representation structure related to centralized GRC in fractional ownership. We illustrate our solution with a system prototype and implementation. We evaluate the research outputs and compare them with existing GRC systems. This paper contributes to the understanding of GRC in supporting fractional ownership decision making. Collapse

Topics: blockchain decision making cloud computing smart contract moral hazard

Methods: design artifact design artifact testing design science field study theory development

Theories: agency theory lemon market theory

Workarounds from an Information Security Perspective: Literature Review

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Essi, Steve; Baker, Elizabeth White

Abstract: The security of every organization is critical and should be proactively planne ... Expand

Abstract: The security of every organization is critical and should be proactively planned. The research field of security, workplace behavior, security safeguards, workarounds, and cybersecurity explores how organizations can effectively strategize and use adaptive security plans to minimize the security vulnerability of organizations. These solutions rely heavily on the technology adopted by organizations that seek to align with policies that safeguard their information assets consciously. However, despite several works in the literature on workarounds, the concept of workarounds that poses a security risk in an organization is still riddled with ambiguities. This review covers current research involving 28 articles across the Association for information systems (AIS) basket of eight conferences and other IS securityrelated journals. Our results identify four major categories that reveal the intersection of workarounds and security in the workplace from recent literature. We further discuss their implications and propose avenues for future research. Collapse

Topics: data security information security risk IT security database system IT security threat

Methods: literature sample literature study action research

Theories: work systems theory

Managing Organizational Cyber Security – The Distinct Role of Internalized Responsibility

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Faltermaier, Stefan; Strunk, Kim; Obermeier, Michaela; Fiedler, Marina

Abstract: Desirable user behavior is key to cyber security in organizations. However, a co ... Expand

Abstract: Desirable user behavior is key to cyber security in organizations. However, a comprehensive overview on how to manage user behavior effectively, in order to support organizational cyber security, is missing. Building on extant research to identify central components of organizational cyber security management and on a qualitative analysis based on 20 semi-structured interviews with users and IT-Managers of a European university, we present an integrated model on this issue. We contribute to understanding the interrelations of namely user awareness, user IT-capabilities, organizational IT, user behavior, and especially internalized responsibility and relation to organizational cyber security. Collapse

Topics: IT security user behavior information technology capability IT security defense password

Methods: qualitative interview personal interview qualitative coding grounded theory case study