Analyzing Persistent Impact of Cybercrime on the Societal Level: Evidence for Individual Security Behavior

Abstract

Cybercrime has evolved into a serious global problem with considerable social and economic impact. Avoidance, one form of individual security behavior, can lead to long-lasting negative outcomes on the societal level, but is rarely studied. While avoidance effects are difficult to study for recent innovations, theoretical models and data exist for established online services. Building on a parsimonious research model, we study the persistence of aggregate avoidance effects towards the use of online services along with protection behavior using a longitudinal approach. We use structural equation modelling in a secondary analysis of three representative pan-European surveys, conducted in 2012-2014. We find that cybercrime experience increases perceived risk and ultimately leads to avoidance of online banking, online shopping, and unknown websites. It also has a direct impact on two forms of protection behavior, namely: changing security settings and using different passwords. Trend analyses show that these effects are persistent over time