Title: Employees' cybersecurity awareness and risk management practices at a legal parastatal organisation in South Africa: a hierarchical multiple regression analysis

Authors: Leballo Monethi; Kafigi Jeje; Alfred Henrico; Johannes C. Coetzee

Addresses: NWU Business School, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa ' Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University. Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa ' Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University. Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa ' NWU Business School, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

Abstract: Organisations that increasingly rely on information technology and the internet face the potential risk of cyber-attacks. A thorough assessment of their employees' awareness of cyber security in order to establish the cybersecurity measures that are consistent with the evolving corporate experience is of paramount importance. Based on the responses from 550 employees of a legal parastatal organisation in South Africa, we employ a hierarchical multiple regression to analyse the contribution of employees' cybersecurity awareness on risk management practices. We found that the addition of organisational support on cyber security awareness improves the prediction of risk management practices over and above general security practices, employee cyber security practices, and cybercrime awareness. We argue that organisations can improve risk management systems and practices by promoting cybersecurity awareness through relevant strategies such as the development and implementation of cybersecurity awareness policies and procedures, as well as the training and development of personnel in risk management.

Keywords: cybersecurity awareness; risk management practices; hierarchical multiple regression analysis; legal parastatal organisation; South Africa.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2025.145994

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2025 Vol.20 No.2, pp.264 - 285

Received: 14 Feb 2024
Accepted: 02 Mar 2024
Published online: 01 May 2025 *

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