Cybersecurity at the Core: A Study on IT Experts’ Policy Adherence

Information security remains a significant concern for virtually every well-established organization globally. Extensive research indicates that a significant proportion of information security breaches can be attributed to internal employees’ disregard for information security policies. Non-compliance with these policies is a complex issue that necessitates both administrative and behavioural solutions. While numerous studies have delved into behavioural aspects of information security, most of this research has cantered around non-IT or non- specialized users. This research paper represents a pioneering pilot study aimed at assessing the information security policy compliance of IT professionals. Formulated hypotheses based on a comprehensive literature review, along with the development of a framework, underpin the study's methodology. The framework incorporates organizational management constructs and draws from two prominent behavioural theories—Protection Motivation Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The findings from this pilot study underscore the role of organizational management in augmenting employees’ protection motivation, ultimately fostering a culture of responsible information security behaviour aligned with information security policy compliance.