Communications of the ACM
How a Personality Trait Puts You at Risk for Cybercrime
Employees who have low self-control pose a danger that can be just as damaging as a hacker, says a new Iowa State University study.
Credit: freepressjournal.in
Michigan State University (MSU) scientists examined both obvious and subtle behavioral clues that place individuals at a greater risk of exploitation by cybercriminals.
MSU's Thomas Holt said, "People who show signs of low self-control are the ones we found more susceptible to malware attacks."
He also said low self-control suggests shortsightedness, negligence, physical versus verbal behavior, and an inability to postpone gratification.
The researchers evaluated this trait among some 6,000 study participants, and analyzed their computers' behaviors that could signal malware and infection, like slower processing times, crashes, and unexpected pop-ups.
Said Holt, "If we can identify risk factors, we can work in tandem with technical fields to develop strategies that then reduce the risk factors for infection. It's a pernicious issue we're facing, so if we can attack from both fronts, we can pinpoint the risk factors and technical strategies to find solutions that improve protection for everyone."
From Michigan State University
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