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Promoting Cybersecurity Information Sharing Across the Extended Value Chain

Promoting Cybersecurity Information Sharing Across the Extended Value Chain

Olga Biedova, Lakshmi Goel, Justin Zhang, Steven A. Williamson, Blake Ives
This study analyzes an alternative cybersecurity information-sharing forum centered on the extended value chain of a single company in the forest and paper products industry. The paper explores the forum's design, execution, and challenges to provide recommendations for similar company-specific collaborations. The goal is to enhance cybersecurity resilience across interconnected business partners by fostering a more trusting and relevant environment for sharing best practices.

Problem As cyberthreats become more complex, industries with interconnected information and operational technologies (IT/OT) face significant vulnerabilities. Despite government and industry calls for greater collaboration, inter-organizational cybersecurity information sharing remains sporadic due to concerns over confidentiality, competitiveness, and lack of trust. Standard sector-based sharing initiatives can also be too broad to address the specific needs of a company and its unique value chain partners.

Outcome - A company-led, value-chain-specific cybersecurity forum is an effective alternative to broader industry groups, fostering greater trust and more relevant discussions among business partners.
- Key success factors for such a forum include inviting the right participants (security strategy leaders), establishing clear ground rules to encourage open dialogue, and using external facilitators to ensure neutrality.
- The forum successfully shifted the culture from one of distrust to one of transparency and collaboration, leading participants to be more open about sharing experiences, including previous security breaches.
- Participants gained valuable insights into the security maturity of their partners, leading to tangible improvements in cybersecurity practices, such as updating security playbooks, adopting new risk metrics, and enhancing third-party risk management.
- The collaborative model strengthens the entire value chain, as companies learn from each other's strategies, tools, and policies to collectively improve their defense against common threats.
cybersecurity, information sharing, extended value chain, supply chain security, cyber resilience, forest products industry, inter-organizational collaboration
Unraveling the Role of Cyber Insurance in Fortifying Organizational Cybersecurity

Unraveling the Role of Cyber Insurance in Fortifying Organizational Cybersecurity

Wojciech Strzelczyk, Karolina Puławska
This study explores how cyber insurance serves as more than just a financial tool for compensating victims of cyber incidents. Based on in-depth interviews with insurance industry experts and policy buyers, the research analyzes how insurance improves an organization's cybersecurity across three distinct stages: pre-purchase, post-purchase, and post-cyberattack.

Problem As businesses increasingly rely on digital technologies, they face a growing risk of cyberattacks that can lead to severe financial losses, reputational harm, and regulatory penalties. Many companies possess inadequate cybersecurity measures, and there is a need to understand how external mechanisms like insurance can proactively strengthen defenses rather than simply covering losses after an attack.

Outcome - Cyber insurance actively enhances an organization's security posture, not just providing financial compensation after an incident.
- The pre-purchase underwriting process forces companies to rigorously evaluate and improve their cybersecurity practices to even qualify for a policy.
- Post-purchase, insurers require continuous improvement through audits and training, often providing resources and expertise to help clients strengthen their defenses.
- Following an attack, cyber insurance provides access to critical incident management services, including expert support for damage containment, system restoration, and post-incident analysis to prevent future breaches.
cyber insurance, cybersecurity, risk management, organizational cybersecurity, incident response, underwriting
Promises and Perils of Generative AI in Cybersecurity

Promises and Perils of Generative AI in Cybersecurity

Pratim Datta, Tom Acton
This paper presents a case study of a fictional insurance company, based on real-life events, to illustrate how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can be used for both offensive and defensive cybersecurity purposes. It explores the dual nature of GenAI as a tool for both attackers and defenders, presenting a significant dilemma for IT executives. The study provides actionable recommendations for developing a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy in the age of GenAI.

Problem With the rapid adoption of Generative AI by both cybersecurity defenders and malicious actors, IT leaders face a critical challenge. GenAI significantly enhances the capabilities of attackers to create sophisticated, large-scale, and automated cyberattacks, while also offering powerful new tools for defense. This creates a high-stakes 'AI arms race,' forcing organizations to decide how to strategically embrace GenAI for defense without being left vulnerable to adversaries armed with the same technology.

Outcome - GenAI is a double-edged sword, capable of both triggering and defending against sophisticated cyberattacks, requiring a proactive, not reactive, security posture.
- Organizations must integrate a 'Defense in Depth' (DiD) strategy that extends beyond technology to include processes, a security-first culture, and continuous employee education.
- Robust data governance is crucial to manage and protect data, the primary target of attacks, by classifying its value and implementing security controls accordingly.
- A culture of continuous improvement is essential, involving regular simulations of real-world attacks (red-team/blue-team exercises) and maintaining a zero-trust mindset.
- Companies must fortify defenses against AI-powered social engineering by combining advanced technical filtering with employee training focused on skepticism and verification.
- Businesses should embrace proactive, AI-driven defense mechanisms like AI-powered threat hunting and adaptive honeypots to anticipate and neutralize threats before they escalate.
Generative AI, Cybersecurity, Black-hat AI, White-hat AI, Threat Hunting, Social Engineering, Defense in Depth
How Siemens Empowered Workforce Re- and Upskilling Through Digital Learning

How Siemens Empowered Workforce Re- and Upskilling Through Digital Learning

Leonie Rebecca Freise, Eva Ritz, Ulrich Bretschneider, Roman Rietsche, Gunter Beitinger, and Jan Marco Leimeister
This case study examines how Siemens successfully implemented a human-centric, bottom-up approach to employee reskilling and upskilling through digital learning. The paper presents a four-phase model for leveraging information systems to address skill gaps and provides five key recommendations for organizations to foster lifelong learning in dynamic manufacturing environments.

Problem The rapid digital transformation in manufacturing is creating a significant skills gap, with a high percentage of companies reporting shortages. Traditional training methods are often not scalable or adaptable enough to meet these evolving demands, presenting a major challenge for organizations trying to build a future-ready workforce.

Outcome - The study introduces a four-phase model for developing human-centric digital learning: 1) Recognizing employee needs, 2) Identifying key employee traits (like self-regulation and attitude), 3) Developing tailored strategies, and 4) Aligning strategies with organizational goals.
- Key employee needs for successful digital learning include task-oriented courses, peer exchange, on-the-job training, regular feedback, personalized learning paths, and micro-learning formats ('learning nuggets').
- The paper proposes four distinct learning strategies based on employees' attitude and self-regulated learning skills, ranging from community mentoring for those low in both, to personalized courses for those high in both.
- Five practical recommendations for companies are provided: 1) Foster a lifelong learning culture, 2) Tailor digital learning programs, 3) Create dedicated spaces for collaboration, 4) Incorporate flexible training formats, and 5) Use analytics to provide feedback.
digital learning, upskilling, reskilling, workforce development, human-centric, manufacturing, case study
Establishing a Low-Code/No-Code-Enabled Citizen Development Strategy

Establishing a Low-Code/No-Code-Enabled Citizen Development Strategy

Björn Binzer, Edona Elshan, Daniel Fürstenau, Till J. Winkler
This study analyzes the low-code/no-code adoption journeys of 24 different companies to understand the challenges and best practices of citizen development. Drawing on these insights, the paper proposes a seven-step strategic framework designed to guide organizations in effectively implementing and managing these powerful tools. The framework helps structure critical design choices to empower employees with little or no IT background to create digital solutions.

Problem There is a significant gap between the high demand for digital solutions and the limited availability of professional software developers, which constrains business innovation and problem-solving. While low-code/no-code platforms enable non-technical employees (citizen developers) to build applications, organizations often lack a coherent strategy for their adoption. This leads to inefficiencies, security risks, compliance issues, and wasted investments.

Outcome - The study introduces a seven-step framework for creating a citizen development strategy: Coordinate Architecture, Launch a Development Hub, Establish Rules, Form the Workforce, Orchestrate Liaison Actions, Track Successes, and Iterate the Strategy.
- Successful implementation requires a balance between centralized governance and individual developer autonomy, using 'guardrails' rather than rigid restrictions.
- Key activities for scaling the strategy include the '5E Cycle': Evangelize, Enable, Educate, Encourage, and Embed citizen development within the organization's culture.
- Recommendations include automating governance tasks, promoting business-led development initiatives, and encouraging the use of these tools by IT professionals to foster a collaborative relationship between business and IT units.
Citizen Development, Low-Code, No-Code, Digital Transformation, IT Strategy, Governance Framework, Upskilling
Balancing fear and confidence: A strategic approach to mitigating human risk in cybersecurity

Balancing fear and confidence: A strategic approach to mitigating human risk in cybersecurity

Dennis F. Galletta, Gregory D. Moody, Paul Benjamin Lowry, Robert Willison, Scott Boss, Yan Chen, Xin “Robert” Luo, Daniel Pienta, Peter Polak, Sebastian Schuetze, and Jason Thatcher
This study explores how to improve cybersecurity by focusing on the human element. Based on interviews with C-level executives and prior experimental research, the paper proposes a strategy for communicating cyber threats that balances making employees aware of the dangers (fear) with building their confidence (efficacy) to handle those threats effectively.

Problem Despite advanced security technology, costly data breaches continue to rise because human error remains the weakest link. Traditional cybersecurity training and policies have proven ineffective, indicating a need for a new strategic approach to manage human risk.

Outcome - Human behavior is the primary vulnerability in cybersecurity, and conventional training programs are often insufficient to address this risk.
- Managers must strike a careful balance in their security communications: instilling a healthy awareness of threats ('survival fear') without causing excessive panic or anxiety, which can be counterproductive.
- Building employees' confidence ('efficacy') in their ability to identify and respond to threats is just as crucial as making them aware of the dangers.
- Effective tools for changing behavior include interactive methods like phishing simulations that provide immediate feedback, gamification, and fostering a culture where security is a shared responsibility.
- The most effective approach is to empower users by providing them with clear, simple tools and the knowledge to act, rather than simply punishing mistakes or overwhelming them with fear.
Cybersecurity, Human Risk, Fear Appeals, Security Awareness, User Actions, Management Interventions, Data Breaches
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