Fear, Uncertainty, and Dread: Cognitive Heuristics and Cyber Threats

Verfasser / Beitragende:
[Miguel A. Gomez, Eula B. Villar]
Ort, Verlag, Jahr:
2018
Enthalten in:
Politics and Governance, 6 (2), pp. 61-72
Format:
Artikel (online)
ID: 528782258
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024 7 0 |a 10.3929/ethz-b-000264912  |2 doi 
024 7 0 |a 10.17645/pag.v6i2.1279  |2 doi 
035 |a (ETHRESEARCH)oai:www.research-collecti.ethz.ch:20.500.11850/264912 
100 1 |a Gomez  |D Miguel A. 
245 1 0 |a Fear, Uncertainty, and Dread: Cognitive Heuristics and Cyber Threats  |h [Elektronische Daten]  |c [Miguel A. Gomez, Eula B. Villar] 
506 |a Open access  |2 ethresearch 
520 3 |a 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. 
540 |a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International  |u http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0  |2 ethresearch 
690 7 |a Cybersecurity  |2 ethresearch 
690 7 |a Cyber threats  |2 ethresearch 
690 7 |a Dread  |2 ethresearch 
690 7 |a Experiment  |2 ethresearch 
690 7 |a Heuristics  |2 ethresearch 
700 1 |a Villar  |D Eula B.  |e joint author 
773 0 |t Politics and Governance  |d Lisbon : Cogitatio Press  |g 6 (2), pp. 61-72 
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950 |B ETHRESEARCH  |P 100  |E 1-  |a Gomez  |D Miguel A. 
950 |B ETHRESEARCH  |P 700  |E 1-  |a Villar  |D Eula B.  |e joint author 
950 |B ETHRESEARCH  |P 773  |E 0-  |t Politics and Governance  |d Lisbon : Cogitatio Press  |g 6 (2), pp. 61-72 
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949 |B ETHRESEARCH  |F ETHRESEARCH  |b ETHRESEARCH  |j Journal Article  |c Open access