Procedural Information Security Countermeasure Awareness and Cybersecurity Protection Motivation in Enhancing Employee’s Cybersecurity Protective Behaviour

Radical changes in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) have provoked several organizations in developed and emerging economies to constantly re-evaluate cybersecurity protective behaviour among their employees. Evidence from an emerging economy like Malaysia suggests that security awareness influences employees’ psychological factors and leads to enhancing employees’ cybersecurity protective behaviour to become actively engaged in effective cybersecurity practices. By overlooking these factors, employees are consequently exposed to various cybersecurity threats which could have adverse impacts on their organisations. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the direct effect of procedural information security countermeasure (PCM) awareness on protection motivation components in enhancing employees’ cybersecurity protective behaviour. This study extended the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the online survey was conducted to get feedback from the employees in various sectors within Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 245 responses were received. The results show that procedural security countermeasure awareness does positively influence protection motivation components, except for self-efficacy. Meanwhile, threat appraisal and coping appraisal positively influence some of the dimensions of cybersecurity protective behaviour. The research findings would serve as evidence that is fundamental to enhancing cybersecurity practices of urban community employees in Malaysia. Congruent with the diverse recent impacts of the IR4.0, the research would help to bolster cybersecurity-related policy implications that resonate with the Malaysian government agenda.