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500+ Cyber Security Research Topics

Cybersecurity has become an increasingly important topic in recent years as more and more of our lives are spent online. With the rise of the digital age, there has been a corresponding increase in the number and severity of cyber attacks. As such, research into cybersecurity has become critical in order to protect individuals, businesses, and governments from these threats. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most pressing cybersecurity research topics, from the latest trends in cyber attacks to emerging technologies that can help prevent them. Whether you are a cybersecurity professional, a Master’s or Ph.D. student, or simply interested in the field, this post will provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving area of study.

Cyber Security Research Topics

Cyber Security Research Topics are as follows:

• The role of machine learning in detecting cyber threats
• The impact of cloud computing on cyber security
• Cyber warfare and its effects on national security
• The rise of ransomware attacks and their prevention methods
• Evaluating the effectiveness of network intrusion detection systems
• The use of blockchain technology in enhancing cyber security
• Investigating the role of cyber security in protecting critical infrastructure
• The ethics of hacking and its implications for cyber security professionals
• Developing a secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC)
• The role of artificial intelligence in cyber security
• Evaluating the effectiveness of multi-factor authentication
• Investigating the impact of social engineering on cyber security
• The role of cyber insurance in mitigating cyber risks
• Developing secure IoT (Internet of Things) systems
• Investigating the challenges of cyber security in the healthcare industry
• Evaluating the effectiveness of penetration testing
• Investigating the impact of big data on cyber security
• The role of quantum computing in breaking current encryption methods
• Developing a secure BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy
• The impact of cyber security breaches on a company’s reputation
• The role of cyber security in protecting financial transactions
• Evaluating the effectiveness of anti-virus software
• The use of biometrics in enhancing cyber security
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the supply chain
• The role of cyber security in protecting personal privacy
• Developing a secure cloud storage system
• Evaluating the effectiveness of firewall technologies
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on e-commerce
• The role of cyber security in protecting intellectual property
• Developing a secure remote access policy
• Investigating the challenges of securing mobile devices
• The role of cyber security in protecting government agencies
• Evaluating the effectiveness of cyber security training programs
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the aviation industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting online gaming platforms
• Developing a secure password management system
• Investigating the challenges of securing smart homes
• The impact of cyber security on the automotive industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting social media platforms
• Developing a secure email system
• Evaluating the effectiveness of encryption methods
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the hospitality industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting online education platforms
• Developing a secure backup and recovery strategy
• Investigating the challenges of securing virtual environments
• The impact of cyber security on the energy sector
• The role of cyber security in protecting online voting systems
• Developing a secure chat platform
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the entertainment industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting online dating platforms
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Cybersecurity
• Quantum Cryptography and Post-Quantum Cryptography
• Internet of Things (IoT) Security
• Developing a framework for cyber resilience in critical infrastructure
• Understanding the fundamentals of encryption algorithms
• Cyber security challenges for small and medium-sized businesses
• Developing secure coding practices for web applications
• Investigating the role of cyber security in protecting online privacy
• Network security protocols and their importance
• Social engineering attacks and how to prevent them
• Investigating the challenges of securing personal devices and home networks
• Developing a basic incident response plan for cyber attacks
• The impact of cyber security on the financial sector
• Understanding the role of cyber security in protecting critical infrastructure
• Mobile device security and common vulnerabilities
• Investigating the challenges of securing cloud-based systems
• Cyber security and the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Biometric authentication and its role in cyber security
• Developing secure communication protocols for online messaging platforms
• The importance of cyber security in e-commerce
• Understanding the threats and vulnerabilities associated with social media platforms
• Investigating the role of cyber security in protecting intellectual property
• The basics of malware analysis and detection
• Developing a basic cyber security awareness training program
• Understanding the threats and vulnerabilities associated with public Wi-Fi networks
• Investigating the challenges of securing online banking systems
• The importance of password management and best practices
• Cyber security and cloud computing
• Understanding the role of cyber security in protecting national security
• Investigating the challenges of securing online gaming platforms
• The basics of cyber threat intelligence
• Developing secure authentication mechanisms for online services
• The impact of cyber security on the healthcare sector
• Understanding the basics of digital forensics
• Investigating the challenges of securing smart home devices
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyberbullying
• Developing secure file transfer protocols for sensitive information
• Understanding the challenges of securing remote work environments
• Investigating the role of cyber security in protecting against identity theft
• The basics of network intrusion detection and prevention systems
• Developing secure payment processing systems
• Understanding the role of cyber security in protecting against ransomware attacks
• Investigating the challenges of securing public transportation systems
• The basics of network segmentation and its importance in cyber security
• Developing secure user access management systems
• Understanding the challenges of securing supply chain networks
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber espionage
• Investigating the challenges of securing online educational platforms
• The importance of data backup and disaster recovery planning
• Developing secure email communication protocols
• Understanding the basics of threat modeling and risk assessment
• Investigating the challenges of securing online voting systems
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber terrorism
• Developing secure remote access protocols for corporate networks.
• Investigating the challenges of securing artificial intelligence systems
• The role of machine learning in enhancing cyber threat intelligence
• Evaluating the effectiveness of deception technologies in cyber security
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of emerging technologies
• The role of cyber security in protecting smart cities
• Developing a risk-based approach to cyber security governance
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on economic growth and innovation
• The role of cyber security in protecting human rights in the digital age
• Developing a secure digital identity system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on global political stability
• The role of cyber security in protecting the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Developing a secure supply chain management system
• Investigating the challenges of securing cloud-native applications
• The role of cyber security in protecting against insider threats
• Developing a secure software-defined network (SDN)
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of mobile payments
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber warfare
• Developing a secure distributed ledger technology (DLT) system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the digital divide
• The role of cyber security in protecting against state-sponsored attacks
• Developing a secure Internet infrastructure
• Investigating the challenges of securing industrial control systems (ICS)
• Developing a secure quantum communication system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on global trade and commerce
• Developing a secure decentralized authentication system
• Investigating the challenges of securing edge computing systems
• Developing a secure hybrid cloud system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of smart cities
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber propaganda
• Developing a secure blockchain-based voting system
• Investigating the challenges of securing cyber-physical systems (CPS)
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber hate speech
• Developing a secure machine learning system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of autonomous vehicles
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber stalking
• Developing a secure data-driven decision-making system
• Investigating the challenges of securing social media platforms
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyberbullying in schools
• Developing a secure open source software ecosystem
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of smart homes
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber fraud
• Developing a secure software supply chain
• Investigating the challenges of securing cloud-based healthcare systems
• The role of cyber security in protecting against cyber harassment
• Developing a secure multi-party computation system
• Investigating the impact of cyber security on the adoption of virtual and augmented reality technologies.
• Cybersecurity in Cloud Computing Environments
• Cyber Threat Intelligence and Analysis
• Blockchain Security
• Data Privacy and Protection
• Cybersecurity in Industrial Control Systems
• Mobile Device Security
• The importance of cyber security in the digital age
• The ethics of cyber security and privacy
• The role of government in regulating cyber security
• Cyber security threats and vulnerabilities in the healthcare sector
• Understanding the risks associated with social media and cyber security
• The impact of cyber security on e-commerce
• The effectiveness of cyber security awareness training programs
• The role of biometric authentication in cyber security
• The importance of password management in cyber security
• The basics of network security protocols and their importance
• The challenges of securing online gaming platforms
• The role of cyber security in protecting national security
• The impact of cyber security on the legal sector
• The ethics of cyber warfare
• The challenges of securing the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Understanding the basics of malware analysis and detection
• The challenges of securing public transportation systems
• The impact of cyber security on the insurance industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting against ransomware attacks
• The challenges of securing remote work environments
• Understanding the threats and vulnerabilities associated with social engineering attacks
• The impact of cyber security on the education sector
• Investigating the challenges of securing supply chain networks
• The challenges of securing personal devices and home networks
• The importance of secure coding practices for web applications
• The impact of cyber security on the hospitality industry
• The role of cyber security in protecting against identity theft
• The challenges of securing public Wi-Fi networks
• The importance of cyber security in protecting critical infrastructure
• The challenges of securing cloud-based storage systems
• The effectiveness of antivirus software in cyber security
• Developing secure payment processing systems.
• Cybersecurity in Healthcare
• Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
• Cybersecurity in Autonomous Vehicles
• Cybersecurity in Smart Cities
• Cybersecurity Risk Assessment and Management
• Malware Analysis and Detection Techniques
• Cybersecurity in the Financial Sector
• Cybersecurity in Government Agencies
• Cybersecurity and Artificial Life
• Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Protection
• Cybersecurity in the Education Sector
• Cybersecurity in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
• Cybersecurity in the Retail Industry
• Cryptocurrency Security
• Cybersecurity in Supply Chain Management
• Cybersecurity and Human Factors
• Cybersecurity in the Transportation Industry
• Cybersecurity in Gaming Environments
• Cybersecurity in Social Media Platforms
• Cybersecurity and Biometrics
• Cybersecurity and Quantum Computing
• Cybersecurity in 5G Networks
• Cybersecurity in Aviation and Aerospace Industry
• Cybersecurity in Agriculture Industry
• Cybersecurity in Space Exploration
• Cybersecurity in Military Operations
• Cybersecurity and Cloud Storage
• Cybersecurity in Software-Defined Networks
• Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Cybersecurity and Cyber Insurance
• Cybersecurity in the Legal Industry
• Cybersecurity and Data Science
• Cybersecurity in Energy Systems
• Cybersecurity in E-commerce
• Cybersecurity in Identity Management
• Cybersecurity in Small and Medium Enterprises
• Cybersecurity in the Entertainment Industry
• Cybersecurity and the Internet of Medical Things
• Cybersecurity and the Dark Web
• Cybersecurity and Wearable Technology
• Cybersecurity in Public Safety Systems.
• Threat Intelligence for Industrial Control Systems
• Privacy Preservation in Cloud Computing
• Network Security for Critical Infrastructure
• Cryptographic Techniques for Blockchain Security
• Malware Detection and Analysis
• Cyber Threat Hunting Techniques
• Cybersecurity Risk Assessment
• Machine Learning for Cybersecurity
• Cybersecurity in Financial Institutions
• Cybersecurity for Smart Cities
• Cybersecurity in Aviation
• Cybersecurity in the Automotive Industry
• Cybersecurity in the Energy Sector
• Cybersecurity in Telecommunications
• Cybersecurity for Mobile Devices
• Biometric Authentication for Cybersecurity
• Cybersecurity for Artificial Intelligence
• Cybersecurity for Social Media Platforms
• Cybersecurity in the Gaming Industry
• Cybersecurity in the Defense Industry
• Cybersecurity for Autonomous Systems
• Cybersecurity for Quantum Computing
• Cybersecurity for Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
• Cybersecurity in Cloud-Native Applications
• Cybersecurity for Smart Grids
• Cybersecurity in Distributed Ledger Technology
• Cybersecurity for Next-Generation Wireless Networks
• Cybersecurity for Digital Identity Management
• Cybersecurity for Open Source Software
• Cybersecurity for Smart Homes
• Cybersecurity for Smart Transportation Systems
• Cybersecurity for Cyber Physical Systems
• Cybersecurity for Critical National Infrastructure
• Cybersecurity for Smart Agriculture
• Cybersecurity for Retail Industry
• Cybersecurity for Digital Twins
• Cybersecurity for Quantum Key Distribution
• Cybersecurity for Digital Healthcare
• Cybersecurity for Smart Logistics
• Cybersecurity for Wearable Devices
• Cybersecurity for Edge Computing
• Cybersecurity for Cognitive Computing
• Cybersecurity for Industrial IoT
• Cybersecurity for Intelligent Transportation Systems
• Cybersecurity for Smart Water Management Systems
• The rise of cyber terrorism and its impact on national security
• The impact of artificial intelligence on cyber security
• Analyzing the effectiveness of biometric authentication for securing data
• The impact of social media on cyber security and privacy
• The future of cyber security in the Internet of Things (IoT) era
• The role of machine learning in detecting and preventing cyber attacks
• The effectiveness of encryption in securing sensitive data
• The impact of quantum computing on cyber security
• The rise of cyber bullying and its effects on mental health
• Investigating cyber espionage and its impact on national security
• The effectiveness of cyber insurance in mitigating cyber risks
• The role of blockchain technology in cyber security
• Investigating the effectiveness of cyber security awareness training programs
• The impact of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure
• Analyzing the effectiveness of firewalls in protecting against cyber attacks
• The impact of cyber crime on the economy
• Investigating the effectiveness of multi-factor authentication in securing data
• The future of cyber security in the age of quantum internet
• The impact of big data on cyber security
• The role of cybersecurity in the education system
• Investigating the use of deception techniques in cyber security
• The impact of cyber attacks on the healthcare industry
• The effectiveness of cyber threat intelligence in mitigating cyber risks
• The role of cyber security in protecting financial institutions
• Investigating the use of machine learning in cyber security risk assessment
• The impact of cyber attacks on the transportation industry
• The effectiveness of network segmentation in protecting against cyber attacks
• Investigating the effectiveness of biometric identification in cyber security
• The impact of cyber attacks on the hospitality industry
• The future of cyber security in the era of autonomous vehicles
• The effectiveness of intrusion detection systems in protecting against cyber attacks
• The role of cyber security in protecting small businesses
• Investigating the effectiveness of virtual private networks (VPNs) in securing data
• The impact of cyber attacks on the energy sector
• The effectiveness of cyber security regulations in mitigating cyber risks
• Investigating the use of deception technology in cyber security
• The impact of cyber attacks on the retail industry
• The effectiveness of cyber security in protecting critical infrastructure
• The role of cyber security in protecting intellectual property in the entertainment industry
• Investigating the effectiveness of intrusion prevention systems in protecting against cyber attacks
• The impact of cyber attacks on the aerospace industry
• The future of cyber security in the era of quantum computing
• The effectiveness of cyber security in protecting against ransomware attacks
• The role of cyber security in protecting personal and sensitive data
• Investigating the effectiveness of cloud security solutions in protecting against cyber attacks
• The impact of cyber attacks on the manufacturing industry
• The effective cyber security and the future of e-votingness of cyber security in protecting against social engineering attacks
• Investigating the effectiveness of end-to-end encryption in securing data
• The impact of cyber attacks on the insurance industry
• The future of cyber security in the era of artificial intelligence
• The effectiveness of cyber security in protecting against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks
• The role of cyber security in protecting against phishing attacks
• Investigating the effectiveness of user behavior analytics
• The impact of emerging technologies on cyber security
• Developing a framework for cyber threat intelligence
• The effectiveness of current cyber security measures
• Cyber security and data privacy in the age of big data
• Cloud security and virtualization technologies
• Cryptography and its role in cyber security
• Cyber security in critical infrastructure protection
• Cyber security in the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Cyber security in e-commerce and online payment systems
• Cyber security and the future of digital currencies
• The impact of social engineering on cyber security
• Cyber security and ethical hacking
• Cyber security challenges in the healthcare industry
• Cyber security and digital forensics
• Cyber security in the financial sector
• Cyber security in the transportation industry
• The impact of artificial intelligence on cyber security risks
• Cyber security and mobile devices
• Cyber security in the energy sector
• Cyber security and supply chain management
• The role of machine learning in cyber security
• Cyber security in the defense sector
• The impact of the Dark Web on cyber security
• Cyber security in social media and online communities
• Cyber security challenges in the gaming industry
• Cyber security and cloud-based applications
• The role of blockchain in cyber security
• Cyber security and the future of autonomous vehicles
• Cyber security in the education sector
• Cyber security in the aviation industry
• The impact of 5G on cyber security
• Cyber security and insider threats
• Cyber security and the legal system
• The impact of cyber security on business operations
• Cyber security and the role of human behavior
• Cyber security in the hospitality industry
• The impact of cyber security on national security
• Cyber security and the use of biometrics
• Cyber security and the role of social media influencers
• The impact of cyber security on small and medium-sized enterprises
• Cyber security and cyber insurance
• The impact of cyber security on the job market
• Cyber security and international relations
• Cyber security and the role of government policies
• The impact of cyber security on privacy laws
• Cyber security in the media and entertainment industry
• The role of cyber security in digital marketing
• Cyber security and the role of cybersecurity professionals
• Cyber security in the retail industry
• The impact of cyber security on the stock market
• Cyber security and intellectual property protection
• Cyber security and online dating
• The impact of cyber security on healthcare innovation
• Cyber security and the future of e-voting
• Cyber security and the role of open source software
• Cyber security and the use of social engineering in cyber attacks
• The impact of cyber security on the aviation industry
• Cyber security and the role of cyber security awareness training
• Cyber security and the role of cybersecurity standards and best practices
• Cyber security in the legal industry
• The impact of cyber security on human rights
• Cyber security and the role of public-private partnerships
• Cyber security and the future of e-learning
• Cyber security and the role of mobile applications
• The impact of cyber security on environmental sustainability
• Cyber security and the role of threat intelligence sharing
• Cyber security and the future of smart homes
• Cyber security and the role of cybersecurity certifications
• The impact of cyber security on international trade
• Cyber security and the role of cyber security auditing

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Research Topics & Ideas: Cybersecurity

50 Topic Ideas To Kickstart Your Research

If you’re just starting out exploring cybersecurity-related topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research by providing a hearty list of cybersecurity-related research topics and ideas , including examples from recent studies.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . These topic ideas provided here are intentionally broad and generic , so keep in mind that you will need to develop them further. Nevertheless, they should inspire some ideas for your project.

To develop a suitable research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan to fill that gap. If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Cybersecurity-Related Research Topics

• Developing machine learning algorithms for early detection of cybersecurity threats.
• The use of artificial intelligence in optimizing network traffic for telecommunication companies.
• Investigating the impact of quantum computing on existing encryption methods.
• The application of blockchain technology in securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• Developing efficient data mining techniques for large-scale social media analytics.
• The role of virtual reality in enhancing online education platforms.
• Investigating the effectiveness of various algorithms in reducing energy consumption in data centers.
• The impact of edge computing on the performance of mobile applications in remote areas.
• The application of computer vision techniques in automated medical diagnostics.
• Developing natural language processing tools for sentiment analysis in customer service.
• The use of augmented reality for training in high-risk industries like oil and gas.
• Investigating the challenges of integrating AI into legacy enterprise systems.
• The role of IT in managing supply chain disruptions during global crises.
• Developing adaptive cybersecurity strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises.
• The impact of 5G technology on the development of smart city solutions.
• The application of machine learning in personalized e-commerce recommendations.
• Investigating the use of cloud computing in improving government service delivery.
• The role of IT in enhancing sustainability in the manufacturing sector.
• Developing advanced algorithms for autonomous vehicle navigation.
• The application of biometrics in enhancing banking security systems.
• Investigating the ethical implications of facial recognition technology.
• The role of data analytics in optimizing healthcare delivery systems.
• Developing IoT solutions for efficient energy management in smart homes.
• The impact of mobile computing on the evolution of e-health services.
• The application of IT in disaster response and management.

Cybersecurity Research Ideas (Continued)

• Assessing the security implications of quantum computing on modern encryption methods.
• The role of artificial intelligence in detecting and preventing phishing attacks.
• Blockchain technology in secure voting systems: opportunities and challenges.
• Cybersecurity strategies for protecting smart grids from targeted attacks.
• Developing a cyber incident response framework for small to medium-sized enterprises.
• The effectiveness of behavioural biometrics in preventing identity theft.
• Securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices in healthcare: risks and solutions.
• Analysis of cyber warfare tactics and their implications on national security.
• Exploring the ethical boundaries of offensive cybersecurity measures.
• Machine learning algorithms for predicting and mitigating DDoS attacks.
• Study of cryptocurrency-related cybercrimes: patterns and prevention strategies.
• Evaluating the impact of GDPR on data breach response strategies in the EU.
• Developing enhanced security protocols for mobile banking applications.
• An examination of cyber espionage tactics and countermeasures.
• The role of human error in cybersecurity breaches: a behavioural analysis.
• Investigating the use of deep fakes in cyber fraud: detection and prevention.
• Cloud computing security: managing risks in multi-tenant environments.
• Next-generation firewalls: evaluating performance and security features.
• The impact of 5G technology on cybersecurity strategies and policies.
• Secure coding practices: reducing vulnerabilities in software development.
• Assessing the role of cyber insurance in mitigating financial losses from cyber attacks.
• Implementing zero trust architecture in corporate networks: challenges and benefits.
• Ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure: case studies and defence strategies.
• Using big data analytics for proactive cyber threat intelligence.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of cybersecurity awareness training in organisations.

Recent Cybersecurity-Related Studies

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual studies in the cybersecurity space to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of recent studies to help refine your thinking. These are actual studies,  so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Cyber Security Vulnerability Detection Using Natural Language Processing (Singh et al., 2022)
• Security for Cloud-Native Systems with an AI-Ops Engine (Ck et al., 2022)
• Overview of Cyber Security (Yadav, 2022)
• Exploring the Top Five Evolving Threats in Cybersecurity: An In-Depth Overview (Mijwil et al., 2023)
• Cyber Security: Strategy to Security Challenges A Review (Nistane & Sharma, 2022)
• A Review Paper on Cyber Security (K & Venkatesh, 2022)
• The Significance of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques in Cybersecurity: A Comprehensive Review (Mijwil, 2023)
• Towards Artificial Intelligence-Based Cybersecurity: The Practices and ChatGPT Generated Ways to Combat Cybercrime (Mijwil et al., 2023)
• ESTABLISHING CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS OF TECHNICAL SECURITY MEASURES THROUGH A SERIOUS GAME (Harding et al., 2022)
• Efficiency Evaluation of Cyber Security Based on EBM-DEA Model (Nguyen et al., 2022)
• An Overview of the Present and Future of User Authentication (Al Kabir & Elmedany, 2022)
• Cybersecurity Enterprises Policies: A Comparative Study (Mishra et al., 2022)
• The Rise of Ransomware: A Review of Attacks, Detection Techniques, and Future Challenges (Kamil et al., 2022)
• On the scale of Cyberspace and Cybersecurity (Pathan, 2022)
• Analysis of techniques and attacking pattern in cyber security approach (Sharma et al., 2022)
• Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Information Security in Business (Alawadhi et al., 2022)
• Deployment of Artificial Intelligence with Bootstrapped Meta-Learning in Cyber Security (Sasikala & Sharma, 2022)
• Optimization of Secure Coding Practices in SDLC as Part of Cybersecurity Framework (Jakimoski et al., 2022)
• CySSS ’22: 1st International Workshop on Cybersecurity and Social Sciences (Chan-Tin & Kennison, 2022)

As you can see, these research topics are a lot more focused than the generic topic ideas we presented earlier. So, for you to develop a high-quality research topic, you’ll need to get specific and laser-focused on a specific context with specific variables of interest.  In the video below, we explore some other important things you’ll need to consider when crafting your research topic.

Get 1-On-1 Help

If you’re still unsure about how to find a quality research topic, check out our Research Topic Kickstarter service, which is the perfect starting point for developing a unique, well-justified research topic.

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60+ Latest Cyber Security Research Topics for 2024

Home Blog Security 60+ Latest Cyber Security Research Topics for 2024

The concept of cybersecurity refers to cracking the security mechanisms that break in dynamic environments. Implementing Cyber Security Project topics and cyber security thesis topics /ideas helps overcome attacks and take mitigation approaches to security risks and threats in real-time. Undoubtedly, it focuses on events injected into the system, data, and the whole network to attack/disturb it.

The network can be attacked in various ways, including Distributed DoS, Knowledge Disruptions, Computer Viruses / Worms, and many more. Cyber-attacks are still rising, and more are waiting to harm their targeted systems and networks. Detecting Intrusions in cybersecurity has become challenging due to their Intelligence Performance. Therefore, it may negatively affect data integrity, privacy, availability, and security. 

This article aims to demonstrate the most current Cyber Security Topics for Projects and areas of research currently lacking. We will talk about cyber security research questions, cyber security research questions, cyber security topics for the project, best cyber security research topics, research titles about cyber security and web security research topics.

List of Trending Cyber Security Research Topics for 2024

Digital technology has revolutionized how all businesses, large or small, work, and even governments manage their day-to-day activities, requiring organizations, corporations, and government agencies to utilize computerized systems. To protect data against online attacks or unauthorized access, cybersecurity is a priority. There are many Cyber Security Courses online where you can learn about these topics. With the rapid development of technology comes an equally rapid shift in Cyber Security Research Topics and cybersecurity trends, as data breaches, ransomware, and hacks become almost routine news items. In 2024, these will be the top cybersecurity trends.

A) Exciting Mobile Cyber Security Research Paper Topics

• The significance of continuous user authentication on mobile gadgets. 
• The efficacy of different mobile security approaches. 
• Detecting mobile phone hacking. 
• Assessing the threat of using portable devices to access banking services. 
• Cybersecurity and mobile applications. 
• The vulnerabilities in wireless mobile data exchange. 
• The rise of mobile malware. 
• The evolution of Android malware.
• How to know you’ve been hacked on mobile. 
• The impact of mobile gadgets on cybersecurity. 

B) Top Computer and Software Security Topics to Research

• Learn algorithms for data encryption 
• Concept of risk management security 
• How to develop the best Internet security software 
• What are Encrypting Viruses- How does it work? 
• How does a Ransomware attack work? 
• Scanning of malware on your PC 
• Infiltrating a Mac OS X operating system 
• What are the effects of RSA on network security ? 
• How do encrypting viruses work?
• DDoS attacks on IoT devices 

C) Trending Information Security Research Topics

• Why should people avoid sharing their details on Facebook? 
• What is the importance of unified user profiles? 
• Discuss Cookies and Privacy  
• White hat and black hat hackers 
• What are the most secure methods for ensuring data integrity? 
• Talk about the implications of Wi-Fi hacking apps on mobile phones 
• Analyze the data breaches in 2024
• Discuss digital piracy in 2024
• critical cyber-attack concepts 
• Social engineering and its importance 

D) Current Network Security Research Topics

• Data storage centralization
• Identify Malicious activity on a computer system. 
• Firewall 
• Importance of keeping updated Software  
• wireless sensor network 
• What are the effects of ad-hoc networks  
• How can a company network be safe? 
• What are Network segmentation and its applications? 
• Discuss Data Loss Prevention systems  
• Discuss various methods for establishing secure algorithms in a network. 
• Talk about two-factor authentication

E) Best Data Security Research Topics

• Importance of backup and recovery 
• Benefits of logging for applications 
• Understand physical data security 
• Importance of Cloud Security 
• In computing, the relationship between privacy and data security 
• Talk about data leaks in mobile apps 
• Discuss the effects of a black hole on a network system. 

F) Important Application Security Research Topics

• Detect Malicious Activity on Google Play Apps 
• Dangers of XSS attacks on apps 
• Discuss SQL injection attacks. 
• Insecure Deserialization Effect 
• Check Security protocols 

G) Cybersecurity Law & Ethics Research Topics

• Strict cybersecurity laws in China 
• Importance of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. 
• USA, UK, and other countries' cybersecurity laws  
• Discuss The Pipeline Security Act in the United States 

H) Recent Cyberbullying Topics

• Protecting your Online Identity and Reputation 
• Online Safety 
• Sexual Harassment and Sexual Bullying 
• Dealing with Bullying 
• Stress Center for Teens 

I) Operational Security Topics

• Identify sensitive data 
• Identify possible threats 
• Analyze security threats and vulnerabilities 
• Appraise the threat level and vulnerability risk 
• Devise a plan to mitigate the threats 

J) Cybercrime Topics for a Research Paper

• Crime Prevention. 
• Criminal Specialization. 
• Drug Courts. 
• Criminal Courts. 
• Criminal Justice Ethics. 
• Capital Punishment.
• Community Corrections. 
• Criminal Law. 

Research Area in Cyber Security

The field of cyber security is extensive and constantly evolving. Its research covers a wide range of subjects, including: 

• Quantum & Space  
• Data Privacy  
• Criminology & Law 
• AI & IoT Security

How to Choose the Best Research Topics in Cyber Security

A good cybersecurity assignment heading is a skill that not everyone has, and unfortunately, not everyone has one. You might have your teacher provide you with the topics, or you might be asked to come up with your own. If you want more research topics, you can take references from Certified Ethical Hacker Certification, where you will get more hints on new topics. If you don't know where to start, here are some tips. Follow them to create compelling cybersecurity assignment topics. 

1. Brainstorm

In order to select the most appropriate heading for your cybersecurity assignment, you first need to brainstorm ideas. What specific matter do you wish to explore? In this case, come up with relevant topics about the subject and select those relevant to your issue when you use our list of topics. You can also go to cyber security-oriented websites to get some ideas. Using any blog post on the internet can prove helpful if you intend to write a research paper on security threats in 2024. Creating a brainstorming list with all the keywords and cybersecurity concepts you wish to discuss is another great way to start. Once that's done, pick the topics you feel most comfortable handling. Keep in mind to stay away from common topics as much as possible. 

2. Understanding the Background

In order to write a cybersecurity assignment, you need to identify two or three research paper topics. Obtain the necessary resources and review them to gain background information on your heading. This will also allow you to learn new terminologies that can be used in your title to enhance it. 

3. Write a Single Topic

Make sure the subject of your cybersecurity research paper doesn't fall into either extreme. Make sure the title is neither too narrow nor too broad. Topics on either extreme will be challenging to research and write about. 

4. Be Flexible

There is no rule to say that the title you choose is permanent. It is perfectly okay to change your research paper topic along the way. For example, if you find another topic on this list to better suit your research paper, consider swapping it out. 

The Layout of Cybersecurity Research Guidance

It is undeniable that usability is one of cybersecurity's most important social issues today. Increasingly, security features have become standard components of our digital environment, which pervade our lives and require both novices and experts to use them. Supported by confidentiality, integrity, and availability concerns, security features have become essential components of our digital environment.  

In order to make security features easily accessible to a wider population, these functions need to be highly usable. This is especially true in this context because poor usability typically translates into the inadequate application of cybersecurity tools and functionality, resulting in their limited effectiveness. 

Writing Tips from Expert

Additionally, a well-planned action plan and a set of useful tools are essential for delving into Cyber Security Research Topics. Not only do these topics present a vast realm of knowledge and potential innovation, but they also have paramount importance in today's digital age. Addressing the challenges and nuances of these research areas will contribute significantly to the global cybersecurity landscape, ensuring safer digital environments for all. It's crucial to approach these topics with diligence and an open mind to uncover groundbreaking insights.

• Before you begin writing your research paper, make sure you understand the assignment. 
• Your Research Paper Should Have an Engaging Topic 
• Find reputable sources by doing a little research 
• Precisely state your thesis on cybersecurity 
• A rough outline should be developed 
• Finish your paper by writing a draft 
• Make sure that your bibliography is formatted correctly and cites your sources. 

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Studies in the literature have identified and recommended guidelines and recommendations for addressing security usability problems to provide highly usable security. The purpose of such papers is to consolidate existing design guidelines and define an initial core list that can be used for future reference in the field of Cyber Security Research Topics.

The researcher takes advantage of the opportunity to provide an up-to-date analysis of cybersecurity usability issues and evaluation techniques applied so far. As a result of this research paper, researchers and practitioners interested in cybersecurity systems who value human and social design elements are likely to find it useful. You can find KnowledgeHut’s Cyber Security courses online and take maximum advantage of them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Businesses and individuals are changing how they handle cybersecurity as technology changes rapidly - from cloud-based services to new IoT devices. 

Ideally, you should have read many papers and know their structure, what information they contain, and so on if you want to write something of interest to others. 

The field of cyber security is extensive and constantly evolving. Its research covers various subjects, including Quantum & Space, Data Privacy, Criminology & Law, and AI & IoT Security. 

Inmates having the right to work, transportation of concealed weapons, rape and violence in prison, verdicts on plea agreements, rehab versus reform, and how reliable are eyewitnesses? 

Mrinal Prakash

I am a B.Tech Student who blogs about various topics on cyber security and is specialized in web application security

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How I choose a security research topic

James Kettle

Director of Research

Published: 14 June 2023 at 13:09 UTC

Updated: 14 June 2023 at 13:16 UTC

How do you choose what topic to research? That’s the single most common question I get asked, probably because selecting a topic is such a daunting prospect. In this post, I’ll take a personal look at how I select topics for security research. As a case study, I’ll use my latest research, which will be presented at Black Hat USA and DEF CON this August:

Smashing the State Machine: the True Potential of Web Race Conditions

The hardest part

Before we start, I should mention that I firmly believe that choosing a topic is not the hardest part of web security research.

I’ve spoken to so many people who have cool ideas but never attempt to execute them. On the rare occasion that someone does mention a research idea that I think is doomed from the outset, it’s clear that attempting it will still provide them with a major learning experience - hardly a terrible outcome.

In fact, I don’t think that coming up with research ideas is the hard part either. Once you start researching, you’ll likely find every topic you explore leaves you with ideas for three more projects.

I think the hardest part of research is knowing when to bail, and when to push on.

Fast failure

My primary criteria when I evaluate a topic is how much time I’ll need to invest before I have enough information to decide whether to abandon it or continue. Knowing when to abandon a topic and when to push on is an extremely valuable skill for research, and it’s worth putting thought into this before starting.

This year, the attack-concept I wanted to explore initially looked like it required a major up-front time investment. However, I identified a short-cut - if I could build a test website that was vulnerable and reasonably realistic, that would prove the concept was pursuing. I built the website, quickly discovered that the attack concept was extremely unrealistic, and quickly pivoted to a different concept.

The second concept showed just enough promise to make me waste six weeks on it before it flopped too. When looking for a third concept, race conditions was an attractive topic because I already had powerful tooling from the prior project. This meant it would only take about a day to adapt the tooling, and a week or two of manual testing to see if I could discover something significant in the wild. I found a novel high-impact vulnerability in under a week, which cemented my commitment to the topic.

The fear factor

I like to research topics I’m scared of. Fear is a great indicator of something I don’t fully understand, and challenges that I don’t know how to tackle. Race conditions provided this in buckets, and I place this up-front and center in my abstract:

For too long, web race-condition attacks have focused on a tiny handful of scenarios. Their true potential has been masked thanks to tricky workflows, missing tooling, and simple network jitter hiding all but the most trivial, obvious examples. In this session, I’ll introduce multiple new classes of race condition that go far beyond the limit-overrun exploits you’re probably already familiar with... [read full abstract]

Direct impact vs audience impact

As a security professional, it’s tempting to rate a research project’s impact based on the direct impact. For example, over the years I’ve seen a range of serious flaws in a certain popular CDN, and I suspect that if I directly targeted it, I could find multiple ways to take over all their customers’ websites - a reasonable chunk of the web. In terms of direct impact, this would be pretty good.

But when you submit to Black Hat, they ask you to specify ‘three actionable take-aways’ for the audience. How would my hypothetical CDN-popping talk answer this? The only action required would be from that sole CDN vendor - in effect I’d just be giving a war-story talk. These can be entertaining and inspiring, but that’s not what I’m aiming for.

I try to pick a topic where the audience will take away novel attack techniques, and any tools or methodology required to make them practical to apply.

Applicable audience

Over the last five years, my research has been focused on HTTP Request Smuggling and Web Cache Poisoning . Since I’m well-versed in this topic, doing further research directly on top has become relatively easy, and I’m perpetually aware of multiple promising ideas.

However, while creating the presentation for last year’s Browser-Powered Desync Attacks , I became acutely aware that it demanded an exceptional amount of prior technical knowledge from the audience.

Building on a little recent research often works well because you can summarise it yourself. However, building on a large volume of recent research means that anyone in the audience who isn’t already familiar is going to struggle, and overall less people will get the benefit.

This year, by focusing on race conditions - a topic with minimal recent developments - I’ve been able to start building on a foundation that most attendees will be familiar with. Relative to last year’s talk, you can expect this talk to have both greater potential for the experts, and greater accessibility for the masses.

Existing skill-sets vs personal development

There’s a second, more personal reason why I changed my research focus away from request smuggling. I expect request smuggling to keep yielding good research for years to come, but just like any topic, at some point it’ll dry up. If I maintain my exclusive focus on this topic, there’s a risk I’ll become over-specialised and end up in a bad place when the topic stops yielding fruit.

I deliberately choose race conditions to avoid this over-specialisation risk, even though I regarded it as a much riskier bet than doing even more request smuggling exploration. Personal development is a huge and easily overlooked part of research. I rarely repeat my presentations across months for the same reason - if you spend your time sharing the same presentation over and over, you’re sacrificing novel research time.

That said, there’s a balance to be had here - if you have specialist knowledge, that will give you an edge on certain topics. Race conditions appealed from the start because I’d observed low-level HTTP quirks that could enhance these attacks, and I’d also observed them in the wild when trying to exploit response queue poisoning.

No topic is perfect; this presentation has fewer case studies than usual for me because fully automated detection of these vulnerabilities is not practical. On the plus side, this leaves a large number of vulnerabilities on the table that the audience can find simply by applying the methodology.

Ultimately, I see over-thinking topic choice as a pitfall. Save your energy for the research itself - you’ll need it! If you found this useful, you might also like So you want to be a web security researcher , and the presentation Hunting Evasive Vulnerabilities .

If you’re got any thoughts or queries, feel free to ping me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Hopefully I’ll see some of you in-person at the presentation too!

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Related Research

Making desync attacks easy with trace, using form hijacking to bypass csp, hiding payloads in java source code strings.

Cyber risk and cybersecurity: a systematic review of data availability

• Open access
• Published: 17 February 2022
• Volume 47 , pages 698–736, ( 2022 )

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• Frank Cremer 1 ,
• Barry Sheehan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4592-7558 1 ,
• Michael Fortmann 2 ,
• Arash N. Kia 1 ,
• Martin Mullins 1 ,
• Finbarr Murphy 1 &
• Stefan Materne 2  

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Cybercrime is estimated to have cost the global economy just under USD 1 trillion in 2020, indicating an increase of more than 50% since 2018. With the average cyber insurance claim rising from USD 145,000 in 2019 to USD 359,000 in 2020, there is a growing necessity for better cyber information sources, standardised databases, mandatory reporting and public awareness. This research analyses the extant academic and industry literature on cybersecurity and cyber risk management with a particular focus on data availability. From a preliminary search resulting in 5219 cyber peer-reviewed studies, the application of the systematic methodology resulted in 79 unique datasets. We posit that the lack of available data on cyber risk poses a serious problem for stakeholders seeking to tackle this issue. In particular, we identify a lacuna in open databases that undermine collective endeavours to better manage this set of risks. The resulting data evaluation and categorisation will support cybersecurity researchers and the insurance industry in their efforts to comprehend, metricise and manage cyber risks.

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Introduction

Globalisation, digitalisation and smart technologies have escalated the propensity and severity of cybercrime. Whilst it is an emerging field of research and industry, the importance of robust cybersecurity defence systems has been highlighted at the corporate, national and supranational levels. The impacts of inadequate cybersecurity are estimated to have cost the global economy USD 945 billion in 2020 (Maleks Smith et al. 2020 ). Cyber vulnerabilities pose significant corporate risks, including business interruption, breach of privacy and financial losses (Sheehan et al. 2019 ). Despite the increasing relevance for the international economy, the availability of data on cyber risks remains limited. The reasons for this are many. Firstly, it is an emerging and evolving risk; therefore, historical data sources are limited (Biener et al. 2015 ). It could also be due to the fact that, in general, institutions that have been hacked do not publish the incidents (Eling and Schnell 2016 ). The lack of data poses challenges for many areas, such as research, risk management and cybersecurity (Falco et al. 2019 ). The importance of this topic is demonstrated by the announcement of the European Council in April 2021 that a centre of excellence for cybersecurity will be established to pool investments in research, technology and industrial development. The goal of this centre is to increase the security of the internet and other critical network and information systems (European Council 2021 ).

This research takes a risk management perspective, focusing on cyber risk and considering the role of cybersecurity and cyber insurance in risk mitigation and risk transfer. The study reviews the existing literature and open data sources related to cybersecurity and cyber risk. This is the first systematic review of data availability in the general context of cyber risk and cybersecurity. By identifying and critically analysing the available datasets, this paper supports the research community by aggregating, summarising and categorising all available open datasets. In addition, further information on datasets is attached to provide deeper insights and support stakeholders engaged in cyber risk control and cybersecurity. Finally, this research paper highlights the need for open access to cyber-specific data, without price or permission barriers.

The identified open data can support cyber insurers in their efforts on sustainable product development. To date, traditional risk assessment methods have been untenable for insurance companies due to the absence of historical claims data (Sheehan et al. 2021 ). These high levels of uncertainty mean that cyber insurers are more inclined to overprice cyber risk cover (Kshetri 2018 ). Combining external data with insurance portfolio data therefore seems to be essential to improve the evaluation of the risk and thus lead to risk-adjusted pricing (Bessy-Roland et al. 2021 ). This argument is also supported by the fact that some re/insurers reported that they are working to improve their cyber pricing models (e.g. by creating or purchasing databases from external providers) (EIOPA 2018 ). Figure  1 provides an overview of pricing tools and factors considered in the estimation of cyber insurance based on the findings of EIOPA ( 2018 ) and the research of Romanosky et al. ( 2019 ). The term cyber risk refers to all cyber risks and their potential impact.

An overview of the current cyber insurance informational and methodological landscape, adapted from EIOPA ( 2018 ) and Romanosky et al. ( 2019 )

Besides the advantage of risk-adjusted pricing, the availability of open datasets helps companies benchmark their internal cyber posture and cybersecurity measures. The research can also help to improve risk awareness and corporate behaviour. Many companies still underestimate their cyber risk (Leong and Chen 2020 ). For policymakers, this research offers starting points for a comprehensive recording of cyber risks. Although in many countries, companies are obliged to report data breaches to the respective supervisory authority, this information is usually not accessible to the research community. Furthermore, the economic impact of these breaches is usually unclear.

As well as the cyber risk management community, this research also supports cybersecurity stakeholders. Researchers are provided with an up-to-date, peer-reviewed literature of available datasets showing where these datasets have been used. For example, this includes datasets that have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures in simulated cyberattacks or to test intrusion detection systems. This reduces a time-consuming search for suitable datasets and ensures a comprehensive review of those available. Through the dataset descriptions, researchers and industry stakeholders can compare and select the most suitable datasets for their purposes. In addition, it is possible to combine the datasets from one source in the context of cybersecurity or cyber risk. This supports efficient and timely progress in cyber risk research and is beneficial given the dynamic nature of cyber risks.

Cyber risks are defined as “operational risks to information and technology assets that have consequences affecting the confidentiality, availability, and/or integrity of information or information systems” (Cebula et al. 2014 ). Prominent cyber risk events include data breaches and cyberattacks (Agrafiotis et al. 2018 ). The increasing exposure and potential impact of cyber risk have been highlighted in recent industry reports (e.g. Allianz 2021 ; World Economic Forum 2020 ). Cyberattacks on critical infrastructures are ranked 5th in the World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report. Ransomware, malware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) are examples of the evolving modes of a cyberattack. One example is the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline, which shut down the 5500 mile pipeline system that delivers 2.5 million barrels of fuel per day and critical liquid fuel infrastructure from oil refineries to states along the U.S. East Coast (Brower and McCormick 2021 ). These and other cyber incidents have led the U.S. to strengthen its cybersecurity and introduce, among other things, a public body to analyse major cyber incidents and make recommendations to prevent a recurrence (Murphey 2021a ). Another example of the scope of cyberattacks is the ransomware NotPetya in 2017. The damage amounted to USD 10 billion, as the ransomware exploited a vulnerability in the windows system, allowing it to spread independently worldwide in the network (GAO 2021 ). In the same year, the ransomware WannaCry was launched by cybercriminals. The cyberattack on Windows software took user data hostage in exchange for Bitcoin cryptocurrency (Smart 2018 ). The victims included the National Health Service in Great Britain. As a result, ambulances were redirected to other hospitals because of information technology (IT) systems failing, leaving people in need of urgent assistance waiting. It has been estimated that 19,000 cancelled treatment appointments resulted from losses of GBP 92 million (Field 2018 ). Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, ransomware attacks increased significantly, as working from home arrangements increased vulnerability (Murphey 2021b ).

Besides cyberattacks, data breaches can also cause high costs. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies are obliged to protect personal data and safeguard the data protection rights of all individuals in the EU area. The GDPR allows data protection authorities in each country to impose sanctions and fines on organisations they find in breach. “For data breaches, the maximum fine can be €20 million or 4% of global turnover, whichever is higher” (GDPR.EU 2021 ). Data breaches often involve a large amount of sensitive data that has been accessed, unauthorised, by external parties, and are therefore considered important for information security due to their far-reaching impact (Goode et al. 2017 ). A data breach is defined as a “security incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data are copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an unauthorized individual” (Freeha et al. 2021 ). Depending on the amount of data, the extent of the damage caused by a data breach can be significant, with the average cost being USD 392 million Footnote 1 (IBM Security 2020 ).

This research paper reviews the existing literature and open data sources related to cybersecurity and cyber risk, focusing on the datasets used to improve academic understanding and advance the current state-of-the-art in cybersecurity. Furthermore, important information about the available datasets is presented (e.g. use cases), and a plea is made for open data and the standardisation of cyber risk data for academic comparability and replication. The remainder of the paper is structured as follows. The next section describes the related work regarding cybersecurity and cyber risks. The third section outlines the review method used in this work and the process. The fourth section details the results of the identified literature. Further discussion is presented in the penultimate section and the final section concludes.

Related work

Due to the significance of cyber risks, several literature reviews have been conducted in this field. Eling ( 2020 ) reviewed the existing academic literature on the topic of cyber risk and cyber insurance from an economic perspective. A total of 217 papers with the term ‘cyber risk’ were identified and classified in different categories. As a result, open research questions are identified, showing that research on cyber risks is still in its infancy because of their dynamic and emerging nature. Furthermore, the author highlights that particular focus should be placed on the exchange of information between public and private actors. An improved information flow could help to measure the risk more accurately and thus make cyber risks more insurable and help risk managers to determine the right level of cyber risk for their company. In the context of cyber insurance data, Romanosky et al. ( 2019 ) analysed the underwriting process for cyber insurance and revealed how cyber insurers understand and assess cyber risks. For this research, they examined 235 American cyber insurance policies that were publicly available and looked at three components (coverage, application questionnaires and pricing). The authors state in their findings that many of the insurers used very simple, flat-rate pricing (based on a single calculation of expected loss), while others used more parameters such as the asset value of the company (or company revenue) or standard insurance metrics (e.g. deductible, limits), and the industry in the calculation. This is in keeping with Eling ( 2020 ), who states that an increased amount of data could help to make cyber risk more accurately measured and thus more insurable. Similar research on cyber insurance and data was conducted by Nurse et al. ( 2020 ). The authors examined cyber insurance practitioners' perceptions and the challenges they face in collecting and using data. In addition, gaps were identified during the research where further data is needed. The authors concluded that cyber insurance is still in its infancy, and there are still several unanswered questions (for example, cyber valuation, risk calculation and recovery). They also pointed out that a better understanding of data collection and use in cyber insurance would be invaluable for future research and practice. Bessy-Roland et al. ( 2021 ) come to a similar conclusion. They proposed a multivariate Hawkes framework to model and predict the frequency of cyberattacks. They used a public dataset with characteristics of data breaches affecting the U.S. industry. In the conclusion, the authors make the argument that an insurer has a better knowledge of cyber losses, but that it is based on a small dataset and therefore combination with external data sources seems essential to improve the assessment of cyber risks.

Several systematic reviews have been published in the area of cybersecurity (Kruse et al. 2017 ; Lee et al. 2020 ; Loukas et al. 2013 ; Ulven and Wangen 2021 ). In these papers, the authors concentrated on a specific area or sector in the context of cybersecurity. This paper adds to this extant literature by focusing on data availability and its importance to risk management and insurance stakeholders. With a priority on healthcare and cybersecurity, Kruse et al. ( 2017 ) conducted a systematic literature review. The authors identified 472 articles with the keywords ‘cybersecurity and healthcare’ or ‘ransomware’ in the databases Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed and Proquest. Articles were eligible for this review if they satisfied three criteria: (1) they were published between 2006 and 2016, (2) the full-text version of the article was available, and (3) the publication is a peer-reviewed or scholarly journal. The authors found that technological development and federal policies (in the U.S.) are the main factors exposing the health sector to cyber risks. Loukas et al. ( 2013 ) conducted a review with a focus on cyber risks and cybersecurity in emergency management. The authors provided an overview of cyber risks in communication, sensor, information management and vehicle technologies used in emergency management and showed areas for which there is still no solution in the literature. Similarly, Ulven and Wangen ( 2021 ) reviewed the literature on cybersecurity risks in higher education institutions. For the literature review, the authors used the keywords ‘cyber’, ‘information threats’ or ‘vulnerability’ in connection with the terms ‘higher education, ‘university’ or ‘academia’. A similar literature review with a focus on Internet of Things (IoT) cybersecurity was conducted by Lee et al. ( 2020 ). The review revealed that qualitative approaches focus on high-level frameworks, and quantitative approaches to cybersecurity risk management focus on risk assessment and quantification of cyberattacks and impacts. In addition, the findings presented a four-step IoT cyber risk management framework that identifies, quantifies and prioritises cyber risks.

Datasets are an essential part of cybersecurity research, underlined by the following works. Ilhan Firat et al. ( 2021 ) examined various cybersecurity datasets in detail. The study was motivated by the fact that with the proliferation of the internet and smart technologies, the mode of cyberattacks is also evolving. However, in order to prevent such attacks, they must first be detected; the dissemination and further development of cybersecurity datasets is therefore critical. In their work, the authors observed studies of datasets used in intrusion detection systems. Khraisat et al. ( 2019 ) also identified a need for new datasets in the context of cybersecurity. The researchers presented a taxonomy of current intrusion detection systems, a comprehensive review of notable recent work, and an overview of the datasets commonly used for assessment purposes. In their conclusion, the authors noted that new datasets are needed because most machine-learning techniques are trained and evaluated on the knowledge of old datasets. These datasets do not contain new and comprehensive information and are partly derived from datasets from 1999. The authors noted that the core of this issue is the availability of new public datasets as well as their quality. The availability of data, how it is used, created and shared was also investigated by Zheng et al. ( 2018 ). The researchers analysed 965 cybersecurity research papers published between 2012 and 2016. They created a taxonomy of the types of data that are created and shared and then analysed the data collected via datasets. The researchers concluded that while datasets are recognised as valuable for cybersecurity research, the proportion of publicly available datasets is limited.

The main contributions of this review and what differentiates it from previous studies can be summarised as follows. First, as far as we can tell, it is the first work to summarise all available datasets on cyber risk and cybersecurity in the context of a systematic review and present them to the scientific community and cyber insurance and cybersecurity stakeholders. Second, we investigated, analysed, and made available the datasets to support efficient and timely progress in cyber risk research. And third, we enable comparability of datasets so that the appropriate dataset can be selected depending on the research area.

Methodology

Process and eligibility criteria.

The structure of this systematic review is inspired by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework (Page et al. 2021 ), and the search was conducted from 3 to 10 May 2021. Due to the continuous development of cyber risks and their countermeasures, only articles published in the last 10 years were considered. In addition, only articles published in peer-reviewed journals written in English were included. As a final criterion, only articles that make use of one or more cybersecurity or cyber risk datasets met the inclusion criteria. Specifically, these studies presented new or existing datasets, used them for methods, or used them to verify new results, as well as analysed them in an economic context and pointed out their effects. The criterion was fulfilled if it was clearly stated in the abstract that one or more datasets were used. A detailed explanation of this selection criterion can be found in the ‘Study selection’ section.

Information sources

In order to cover a complete spectrum of literature, various databases were queried to collect relevant literature on the topic of cybersecurity and cyber risks. Due to the spread of related articles across multiple databases, the literature search was limited to the following four databases for simplicity: IEEE Xplore, Scopus, SpringerLink and Web of Science. This is similar to other literature reviews addressing cyber risks or cybersecurity, including Sardi et al. ( 2021 ), Franke and Brynielsson ( 2014 ), Lagerström (2019), Eling and Schnell ( 2016 ) and Eling ( 2020 ). In this paper, all databases used in the aforementioned works were considered. However, only two studies also used all the databases listed. The IEEE Xplore database contains electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics work from over 200 journals and three million conference papers (IEEE 2021 ). Scopus includes 23,400 peer-reviewed journals from more than 5000 international publishers in the areas of science, engineering, medicine, social sciences and humanities (Scopus 2021 ). SpringerLink contains 3742 journals and indexes over 10 million scientific documents (SpringerLink 2021 ). Finally, Web of Science indexes over 9200 journals in different scientific disciplines (Science 2021 ).

A search string was created and applied to all databases. To make the search efficient and reproducible, the following search string with Boolean operator was used in all databases: cybersecurity OR cyber risk AND dataset OR database. To ensure uniformity of the search across all databases, some adjustments had to be made for the respective search engines. In Scopus, for example, the Advanced Search was used, and the field code ‘Title-ABS-KEY’ was integrated into the search string. For IEEE Xplore, the search was carried out with the Search String in the Command Search and ‘All Metadata’. In the Web of Science database, the Advanced Search was used. The special feature of this search was that it had to be carried out in individual steps. The first search was carried out with the terms cybersecurity OR cyber risk with the field tag Topic (T.S. =) and the second search with dataset OR database. Subsequently, these searches were combined, which then delivered the searched articles for review. For SpringerLink, the search string was used in the Advanced Search under the category ‘Find the resources with all of the words’. After conducting this search string, 5219 studies could be found. According to the eligibility criteria (period, language and only scientific journals), 1581 studies were identified in the databases:

Scopus: 135

Springer Link: 548

Web of Science: 534

An overview of the process is given in Fig.  2 . Combined with the results from the four databases, 854 articles without duplicates were identified.

Literature search process and categorisation of the studies

Study selection

In the final step of the selection process, the articles were screened for relevance. Due to a large number of results, the abstracts were analysed in the first step of the process. The aim was to determine whether the article was relevant for the systematic review. An article fulfilled the criterion if it was recognisable in the abstract that it had made a contribution to datasets or databases with regard to cyber risks or cybersecurity. Specifically, the criterion was considered to be met if the abstract used datasets that address the causes or impacts of cyber risks, and measures in the area of cybersecurity. In this process, the number of articles was reduced to 288. The articles were then read in their entirety, and an expert panel of six people decided whether they should be used. This led to a final number of 255 articles. The years in which the articles were published and the exact number can be seen in Fig.  3 .

Distribution of studies

Data collection process and synthesis of the results

For the data collection process, various data were extracted from the studies, including the names of the respective creators, the name of the dataset or database and the corresponding reference. It was also determined where the data came from. In the context of accessibility, it was determined whether access is free, controlled, available for purchase or not available. It was also determined when the datasets were created and the time period referenced. The application type and domain characteristics of the datasets were identified.

This section analyses the results of the systematic literature review. The previously identified studies are divided into three categories: datasets on the causes of cyber risks, datasets on the effects of cyber risks and datasets on cybersecurity. The classification is based on the intended use of the studies. This system of classification makes it easier for stakeholders to find the appropriate datasets. The categories are evaluated individually. Although complete information is available for a large proportion of datasets, this is not true for all of them. Accordingly, the abbreviation N/A has been inserted in the respective characters to indicate that this information could not be determined by the time of submission. The term ‘use cases in the literature’ in the following and supplementary tables refers to the application areas in which the corresponding datasets were used in the literature. The areas listed there refer to the topic area on which the researchers conducted their research. Since some datasets were used interdisciplinarily, the listed use cases in the literature are correspondingly longer. Before discussing each category in the next sections, Fig.  4 provides an overview of the number of datasets found and their year of creation. Figure  5 then shows the relationship between studies and datasets in the period under consideration. Figure  6 shows the distribution of studies, their use of datasets and their creation date. The number of datasets used is higher than the number of studies because the studies often used several datasets (Table 1 ).

Distribution of dataset results

Correlation between the studies and the datasets

Distribution of studies and their use of datasets

Most of the datasets are generated in the U.S. (up to 58.2%). Canada and Australia rank next, with 11.3% and 5% of all the reviewed datasets, respectively.

Additionally, to create value for the datasets for the cyber insurance industry, an assessment of the applicability of each dataset has been provided for cyber insurers. This ‘Use Case Assessment’ includes the use of the data in the context of different analyses, calculation of cyber insurance premiums, and use of the information for the design of cyber insurance contracts or for additional customer services. To reasonably account for the transition of direct hyperlinks in the future, references were directed to the main websites for longevity (nearest resource point). In addition, the links to the main pages contain further information on the datasets and different versions related to the operating systems. The references were chosen in such a way that practitioners get the best overview of the respective datasets.

Case datasets

This section presents selected articles that use the datasets to analyse the causes of cyber risks. The datasets help identify emerging trends and allow pattern discovery in cyber risks. This information gives cybersecurity experts and cyber insurers the data to make better predictions and take appropriate action. For example, if certain vulnerabilities are not adequately protected, cyber insurers will demand a risk surcharge leading to an improvement in the risk-adjusted premium. Due to the capricious nature of cyber risks, existing data must be supplemented with new data sources (for example, new events, new methods or security vulnerabilities) to determine prevailing cyber exposure. The datasets of cyber risk causes could be combined with existing portfolio data from cyber insurers and integrated into existing pricing tools and factors to improve the valuation of cyber risks.

A portion of these datasets consists of several taxonomies and classifications of cyber risks. Aassal et al. ( 2020 ) propose a new taxonomy of phishing characteristics based on the interpretation and purpose of each characteristic. In comparison, Hindy et al. ( 2020 ) presented a taxonomy of network threats and the impact of current datasets on intrusion detection systems. A similar taxonomy was suggested by Kiwia et al. ( 2018 ). The authors presented a cyber kill chain-based taxonomy of banking Trojans features. The taxonomy built on a real-world dataset of 127 banking Trojans collected from December 2014 to January 2016 by a major U.K.-based financial organisation.

In the context of classification, Aamir et al. ( 2021 ) showed the benefits of machine learning for classifying port scans and DDoS attacks in a mixture of normal and attack traffic. Guo et al. ( 2020 ) presented a new method to improve malware classification based on entropy sequence features. The evaluation of this new method was conducted on different malware datasets.

To reconstruct attack scenarios and draw conclusions based on the evidence in the alert stream, Barzegar and Shajari ( 2018 ) use the DARPA2000 and MACCDC 2012 dataset for their research. Giudici and Raffinetti ( 2020 ) proposed a rank-based statistical model aimed at predicting the severity levels of cyber risk. The model used cyber risk data from the University of Milan. In contrast to the previous datasets, Skrjanc et al. ( 2018 ) used the older dataset KDD99 to monitor large-scale cyberattacks using a cauchy clustering method.

Amin et al. ( 2021 ) used a cyberattack dataset from the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity to identify spatial clusters of countries with high rates of cyberattacks. In the context of cybercrime, Junger et al. ( 2020 ) examined crime scripts, key characteristics of the target company and the relationship between criminal effort and financial benefit. For their study, the authors analysed 300 cases of fraudulent activities against Dutch companies. With a similar focus on cybercrime, Mireles et al. ( 2019 ) proposed a metric framework to measure the effectiveness of the dynamic evolution of cyberattacks and defensive measures. To validate its usefulness, they used the DEFCON dataset.

Due to the rapidly changing nature of cyber risks, it is often impossible to obtain all information on them. Kim and Kim ( 2019 ) proposed an automated dataset generation system called CTIMiner that collects threat data from publicly available security reports and malware repositories. They released a dataset to the public containing about 640,000 records from 612 security reports published between January 2008 and 2019. A similar approach is proposed by Kim et al. ( 2020 ), using a named entity recognition system to extract core information from cyber threat reports automatically. They created a 498,000-tag dataset during their research (Ulven and Wangen 2021 ).

Within the framework of vulnerabilities and cybersecurity issues, Ulven and Wangen ( 2021 ) proposed an overview of mission-critical assets and everyday threat events, suggested a generic threat model, and summarised common cybersecurity vulnerabilities. With a focus on hospitality, Chen and Fiscus ( 2018 ) proposed several issues related to cybersecurity in this sector. They analysed 76 security incidents from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse database. Supplementary Table 1 lists all findings that belong to the cyber causes dataset.

Impact datasets

This section outlines selected findings of the cyber impact dataset. For cyber insurers, these datasets can form an important basis for information, as they can be used to calculate cyber insurance premiums, evaluate specific cyber risks, formulate inclusions and exclusions in cyber wordings, and re-evaluate as well as supplement the data collected so far on cyber risks. For example, information on financial losses can help to better assess the loss potential of cyber risks. Furthermore, the datasets can provide insight into the frequency of occurrence of these cyber risks. The new datasets can be used to close any data gaps that were previously based on very approximate estimates or to find new results.

Eight studies addressed the costs of data breaches. For instance, Eling and Jung ( 2018 ) reviewed 3327 data breach events from 2005 to 2016 and identified an asymmetric dependence of monthly losses by breach type and industry. The authors used datasets from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse for analysis. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse datasets and the Breach level index database were also used by De Giovanni et al. ( 2020 ) to describe relationships between data breaches and bitcoin-related variables using the cointegration methodology. The data were obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services of healthcare facilities reporting data breaches and a national database of technical and organisational infrastructure information. Also in the context of data breaches, Algarni et al. ( 2021 ) developed a comprehensive, formal model that estimates the two components of security risks: breach cost and the likelihood of a data breach within 12 months. For their survey, the authors used two industrial reports from the Ponemon institute and VERIZON. To illustrate the scope of data breaches, Neto et al. ( 2021 ) identified 430 major data breach incidents among more than 10,000 incidents. The database created is available and covers the period 2018 to 2019.

With a direct focus on insurance, Biener et al. ( 2015 ) analysed 994 cyber loss cases from an operational risk database and investigated the insurability of cyber risks based on predefined criteria. For their study, they used data from the company SAS OpRisk Global Data. Similarly, Eling and Wirfs ( 2019 ) looked at a wide range of cyber risk events and actual cost data using the same database. They identified cyber losses and analysed them using methods from statistics and actuarial science. Using a similar reference, Farkas et al. ( 2021 ) proposed a method for analysing cyber claims based on regression trees to identify criteria for classifying and evaluating claims. Similar to Chen and Fiscus ( 2018 ), the dataset used was the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse database. Within the framework of reinsurance, Moro ( 2020 ) analysed cyber index-based information technology activity to see if index-parametric reinsurance coverage could suggest its cedant using data from a Symantec dataset.

Paté-Cornell et al. ( 2018 ) presented a general probabilistic risk analysis framework for cybersecurity in an organisation to be specified. The results are distributions of losses to cyberattacks, with and without considered countermeasures in support of risk management decisions based both on past data and anticipated incidents. The data used were from The Common Vulnerability and Exposures database and via confidential access to a database of cyberattacks on a large, U.S.-based organisation. A different conceptual framework for cyber risk classification and assessment was proposed by Sheehan et al. ( 2021 ). This framework showed the importance of proactive and reactive barriers in reducing companies’ exposure to cyber risk and quantifying the risk. Another approach to cyber risk assessment and mitigation was proposed by Mukhopadhyay et al. ( 2019 ). They estimated the probability of an attack using generalised linear models, predicted the security technology required to reduce the probability of cyberattacks, and used gamma and exponential distributions to best approximate the average loss data for each malicious attack. They also calculated the expected loss due to cyberattacks, calculated the net premium that would need to be charged by a cyber insurer, and suggested cyber insurance as a strategy to minimise losses. They used the CSI-FBI survey (1997–2010) to conduct their research.

In order to highlight the lack of data on cyber risks, Eling ( 2020 ) conducted a literature review in the areas of cyber risk and cyber insurance. Available information on the frequency, severity, and dependency structure of cyber risks was filtered out. In addition, open questions for future cyber risk research were set up. Another example of data collection on the impact of cyberattacks is provided by Sornette et al. ( 2013 ), who use a database of newspaper articles, press reports and other media to provide a predictive method to identify triggering events and potential accident scenarios and estimate their severity and frequency. A similar approach to data collection was used by Arcuri et al. ( 2020 ) to gather an original sample of global cyberattacks from newspaper reports sourced from the LexisNexis database. This collection is also used and applied to the fields of dynamic communication and cyber risk perception by Fang et al. ( 2021 ). To create a dataset of cyber incidents and disputes, Valeriano and Maness ( 2014 ) collected information on cyber interactions between rival states.

To assess trends and the scale of economic cybercrime, Levi ( 2017 ) examined datasets from different countries and their impact on crime policy. Pooser et al. ( 2018 ) investigated the trend in cyber risk identification from 2006 to 2015 and company characteristics related to cyber risk perception. The authors used a dataset of various reports from cyber insurers for their study. Walker-Roberts et al. ( 2020 ) investigated the spectrum of risk of a cybersecurity incident taking place in the cyber-physical-enabled world using the VERIS Community Database. The datasets of impacts identified are presented below. Due to overlap, some may also appear in the causes dataset (Supplementary Table 2).

Cybersecurity datasets

General intrusion detection.

General intrusion detection systems account for the largest share of countermeasure datasets. For companies or researchers focused on cybersecurity, the datasets can be used to test their own countermeasures or obtain information about potential vulnerabilities. For example, Al-Omari et al. ( 2021 ) proposed an intelligent intrusion detection model for predicting and detecting attacks in cyberspace, which was applied to dataset UNSW-NB 15. A similar approach was taken by Choras and Kozik ( 2015 ), who used machine learning to detect cyberattacks on web applications. To evaluate their method, they used the HTTP dataset CSIC 2010. For the identification of unknown attacks on web servers, Kamarudin et al. ( 2017 ) proposed an anomaly-based intrusion detection system using an ensemble classification approach. Ganeshan and Rodrigues ( 2020 ) showed an intrusion detection system approach, which clusters the database into several groups and detects the presence of intrusion in the clusters. In comparison, AlKadi et al. ( 2019 ) used a localisation-based model to discover abnormal patterns in network traffic. Hybrid models have been recommended by Bhattacharya et al. ( 2020 ) and Agrawal et al. ( 2019 ); the former is a machine-learning model based on principal component analysis for the classification of intrusion detection system datasets, while the latter is a hybrid ensemble intrusion detection system for anomaly detection using different datasets to detect patterns in network traffic that deviate from normal behaviour.

Agarwal et al. ( 2021 ) used three different machine learning algorithms in their research to find the most suitable for efficiently identifying patterns of suspicious network activity. The UNSW-NB15 dataset was used for this purpose. Kasongo and Sun ( 2020 ), Feed-Forward Deep Neural Network (FFDNN), Keshk et al. ( 2021 ), the privacy-preserving anomaly detection framework, and others also use the UNSW-NB 15 dataset as part of intrusion detection systems. The same dataset and others were used by Binbusayyis and Vaiyapuri ( 2019 ) to identify and compare key features for cyber intrusion detection. Atefinia and Ahmadi ( 2021 ) proposed a deep neural network model to reduce the false positive rate of an anomaly-based intrusion detection system. Fossaceca et al. ( 2015 ) focused in their research on the development of a framework that combined the outputs of multiple learners in order to improve the efficacy of network intrusion, and Gauthama Raman et al. ( 2020 ) presented a search algorithm based on Support Vector machine to improve the performance of the detection and false alarm rate to improve intrusion detection techniques. Ahmad and Alsemmeari ( 2020 ) targeted extreme learning machine techniques due to their good capabilities in classification problems and handling huge data. They used the NSL-KDD dataset as a benchmark.

With reference to prediction, Bakdash et al. ( 2018 ) used datasets from the U.S. Department of Defence to predict cyberattacks by malware. This dataset consists of weekly counts of cyber events over approximately seven years. Another prediction method was presented by Fan et al. ( 2018 ), which showed an improved integrated cybersecurity prediction method based on spatial-time analysis. Also, with reference to prediction, Ashtiani and Azgomi ( 2014 ) proposed a framework for the distributed simulation of cyberattacks based on high-level architecture. Kirubavathi and Anitha ( 2016 ) recommended an approach to detect botnets, irrespective of their structures, based on network traffic flow behaviour analysis and machine-learning techniques. Dwivedi et al. ( 2021 ) introduced a multi-parallel adaptive technique to utilise an adaption mechanism in the group of swarms for network intrusion detection. AlEroud and Karabatis ( 2018 ) presented an approach that used contextual information to automatically identify and query possible semantic links between different types of suspicious activities extracted from network flows.

Intrusion detection systems with a focus on IoT

In addition to general intrusion detection systems, a proportion of studies focused on IoT. Habib et al. ( 2020 ) presented an approach for converting traditional intrusion detection systems into smart intrusion detection systems for IoT networks. To enhance the process of diagnostic detection of possible vulnerabilities with an IoT system, Georgescu et al. ( 2019 ) introduced a method that uses a named entity recognition-based solution. With regard to IoT in the smart home sector, Heartfield et al. ( 2021 ) presented a detection system that is able to autonomously adjust the decision function of its underlying anomaly classification models to a smart home’s changing condition. Another intrusion detection system was suggested by Keserwani et al. ( 2021 ), which combined Grey Wolf Optimization and Particle Swam Optimization to identify various attacks for IoT networks. They used the KDD Cup 99, NSL-KDD and CICIDS-2017 to evaluate their model. Abu Al-Haija and Zein-Sabatto ( 2020 ) provide a comprehensive development of a new intelligent and autonomous deep-learning-based detection and classification system for cyberattacks in IoT communication networks that leverage the power of convolutional neural networks, abbreviated as IoT-IDCS-CNN (IoT-based Intrusion Detection and Classification System using Convolutional Neural Network). To evaluate the development, the authors used the NSL-KDD dataset. Biswas and Roy ( 2021 ) recommended a model that identifies malicious botnet traffic using novel deep-learning approaches like artificial neural networks gutted recurrent units and long- or short-term memory models. They tested their model with the Bot-IoT dataset.

With a more forensic background, Koroniotis et al. ( 2020 ) submitted a network forensic framework, which described the digital investigation phases for identifying and tracing attack behaviours in IoT networks. The suggested work was evaluated with the Bot-IoT and UINSW-NB15 datasets. With a focus on big data and IoT, Chhabra et al. ( 2020 ) presented a cyber forensic framework for big data analytics in an IoT environment using machine learning. Furthermore, the authors mentioned different publicly available datasets for machine-learning models.

A stronger focus on a mobile phones was exhibited by Alazab et al. ( 2020 ), which presented a classification model that combined permission requests and application programme interface calls. The model was tested with a malware dataset containing 27,891 Android apps. A similar approach was taken by Li et al. ( 2019a , b ), who proposed a reliable classifier for Android malware detection based on factorisation machine architecture and extraction of Android app features from manifest files and source code.

Literature reviews

In addition to the different methods and models for intrusion detection systems, various literature reviews on the methods and datasets were also found. Liu and Lang ( 2019 ) proposed a taxonomy of intrusion detection systems that uses data objects as the main dimension to classify and summarise machine learning and deep learning-based intrusion detection literature. They also presented four different benchmark datasets for machine-learning detection systems. Ahmed et al. ( 2016 ) presented an in-depth analysis of four major categories of anomaly detection techniques, which include classification, statistical, information theory and clustering. Hajj et al. ( 2021 ) gave a comprehensive overview of anomaly-based intrusion detection systems. Their article gives an overview of the requirements, methods, measurements and datasets that are used in an intrusion detection system.

Within the framework of machine learning, Chattopadhyay et al. ( 2018 ) conducted a comprehensive review and meta-analysis on the application of machine-learning techniques in intrusion detection systems. They also compared different machine learning techniques in different datasets and summarised the performance. Vidros et al. ( 2017 ) presented an overview of characteristics and methods in automatic detection of online recruitment fraud. They also published an available dataset of 17,880 annotated job ads, retrieved from the use of a real-life system. An empirical study of different unsupervised learning algorithms used in the detection of unknown attacks was presented by Meira et al. ( 2020 ).

New datasets

Kilincer et al. ( 2021 ) reviewed different intrusion detection system datasets in detail. They had a closer look at the UNS-NB15, ISCX-2012, NSL-KDD and CIDDS-001 datasets. Stojanovic et al. ( 2020 ) also provided a review on datasets and their creation for use in advanced persistent threat detection in the literature. Another review of datasets was provided by Sarker et al. ( 2020 ), who focused on cybersecurity data science as part of their research and provided an overview from a machine-learning perspective. Avila et al. ( 2021 ) conducted a systematic literature review on the use of security logs for data leak detection. They recommended a new classification of information leak, which uses the GDPR principles, identified the most widely publicly available dataset for threat detection, described the attack types in the datasets and the algorithms used for data leak detection. Tuncer et al. ( 2020 ) presented a bytecode-based detection method consisting of feature extraction using local neighbourhood binary patterns. They chose a byte-based malware dataset to investigate the performance of the proposed local neighbourhood binary pattern-based detection method. With a different focus, Mauro et al. ( 2020 ) gave an experimental overview of neural-based techniques relevant to intrusion detection. They assessed the value of neural networks using the Bot-IoT and UNSW-DB15 datasets.

Another category of results in the context of countermeasure datasets is those that were presented as new. Moreno et al. ( 2018 ) developed a database of 300 security-related accidents from European and American sources. The database contained cybersecurity-related events in the chemical and process industry. Damasevicius et al. ( 2020 ) proposed a new dataset (LITNET-2020) for network intrusion detection. The dataset is a new annotated network benchmark dataset obtained from the real-world academic network. It presents real-world examples of normal and under-attack network traffic. With a focus on IoT intrusion detection systems, Alsaedi et al. ( 2020 ) proposed a new benchmark IoT/IIot datasets for assessing intrusion detection system-enabled IoT systems. Also in the context of IoT, Vaccari et al. ( 2020 ) proposed a dataset focusing on message queue telemetry transport protocols, which can be used to train machine-learning models. To evaluate the performance of machine-learning classifiers, Mahfouz et al. ( 2020 ) created a dataset called Game Theory and Cybersecurity (GTCS). A dataset containing 22,000 malware and benign samples was constructed by Martin et al. ( 2019 ). The dataset can be used as a benchmark to test the algorithm for Android malware classification and clustering techniques. In addition, Laso et al. ( 2017 ) presented a dataset created to investigate how data and information quality estimates enable the detection of anomalies and malicious acts in cyber-physical systems. The dataset contained various cyberattacks and is publicly available.

In addition to the results described above, several other studies were found that fit into the category of countermeasures. Johnson et al. ( 2016 ) examined the time between vulnerability disclosures. Using another vulnerabilities database, Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), Subroto and Apriyana ( 2019 ) presented an algorithm model that uses big data analysis of social media and statistical machine learning to predict cyber risks. A similar databank but with a different focus, Common Vulnerability Scoring System, was used by Chatterjee and Thekdi ( 2020 ) to present an iterative data-driven learning approach to vulnerability assessment and management for complex systems. Using the CICIDS2017 dataset to evaluate the performance, Malik et al. ( 2020 ) proposed a control plane-based orchestration for varied, sophisticated threats and attacks. The same dataset was used in another study by Lee et al. ( 2019 ), who developed an artificial security information event management system based on a combination of event profiling for data processing and different artificial network methods. To exploit the interdependence between multiple series, Fang et al. ( 2021 ) proposed a statistical framework. In order to validate the framework, the authors applied it to a dataset of enterprise-level security breaches from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and Identity Theft Center database. Another framework with a defensive aspect was recommended by Li et al. ( 2021 ) to increase the robustness of deep neural networks against adversarial malware evasion attacks. Sarabi et al. ( 2016 ) investigated whether and to what extent business details can help assess an organisation's risk of data breaches and the distribution of risk across different types of incidents to create policies for protection, detection and recovery from different forms of security incidents. They used data from the VERIS Community Database.

Datasets that have been classified into the cybersecurity category are detailed in Supplementary Table 3. Due to overlap, records from the previous tables may also be included.

This paper presented a systematic literature review of studies on cyber risk and cybersecurity that used datasets. Within this framework, 255 studies were fully reviewed and then classified into three different categories. Then, 79 datasets were consolidated from these studies. These datasets were subsequently analysed, and important information was selected through a process of filtering out. This information was recorded in a table and enhanced with further information as part of the literature analysis. This made it possible to create a comprehensive overview of the datasets. For example, each dataset contains a description of where the data came from and how the data has been used to date. This allows different datasets to be compared and the appropriate dataset for the use case to be selected. This research certainly has limitations, so our selection of datasets cannot necessarily be taken as a representation of all available datasets related to cyber risks and cybersecurity. For example, literature searches were conducted in four academic databases and only found datasets that were used in the literature. Many research projects also used old datasets that may no longer consider current developments. In addition, the data are often focused on only one observation and are limited in scope. For example, the datasets can only be applied to specific contexts and are also subject to further limitations (e.g. region, industry, operating system). In the context of the applicability of the datasets, it is unfortunately not possible to make a clear statement on the extent to which they can be integrated into academic or practical areas of application or how great this effort is. Finally, it remains to be pointed out that this is an overview of currently available datasets, which are subject to constant change.

Due to the lack of datasets on cyber risks in the academic literature, additional datasets on cyber risks were integrated as part of a further search. The search was conducted on the Google Dataset search portal. The search term used was ‘cyber risk datasets’. Over 100 results were found. However, due to the low significance and verifiability, only 20 selected datasets were included. These can be found in Table 2  in the “ Appendix ”.

The results of the literature review and datasets also showed that there continues to be a lack of available, open cyber datasets. This lack of data is reflected in cyber insurance, for example, as it is difficult to find a risk-based premium without a sufficient database (Nurse et al. 2020 ). The global cyber insurance market was estimated at USD 5.5 billion in 2020 (Dyson 2020 ). When compared to the USD 1 trillion global losses from cybercrime (Maleks Smith et al. 2020 ), it is clear that there exists a significant cyber risk awareness challenge for both the insurance industry and international commerce. Without comprehensive and qualitative data on cyber losses, it can be difficult to estimate potential losses from cyberattacks and price cyber insurance accordingly (GAO 2021 ). For instance, the average cyber insurance loss increased from USD 145,000 in 2019 to USD 359,000 in 2020 (FitchRatings 2021 ). Cyber insurance is an important risk management tool to mitigate the financial impact of cybercrime. This is particularly evident in the impact of different industries. In the Energy & Commodities financial markets, a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline led to a substantial impact on the U.S. economy. As a result of the attack, about 45% of the U.S. East Coast was temporarily unable to obtain supplies of diesel, petrol and jet fuel. This caused the average price in the U.S. to rise 7 cents to USD 3.04 per gallon, the highest in seven years (Garber 2021 ). In addition, Colonial Pipeline confirmed that it paid a USD 4.4 million ransom to a hacker gang after the attack. Another ransomware attack occurred in the healthcare and government sector. The victim of this attack was the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE). A ransom payment of USD 20 million was demanded from the Irish government to restore services after the hack (Tidy 2021 ). In the car manufacturing sector, Miller and Valasek ( 2015 ) initiated a cyberattack that resulted in the recall of 1.4 million vehicles and cost manufacturers EUR 761 million. The risk that arises in the context of these events is the potential for the accumulation of cyber losses, which is why cyber insurers are not expanding their capacity. An example of this accumulation of cyber risks is the NotPetya malware attack, which originated in Russia, struck in Ukraine, and rapidly spread around the world, causing at least USD 10 billion in damage (GAO 2021 ). These events highlight the importance of proper cyber risk management.

This research provides cyber insurance stakeholders with an overview of cyber datasets. Cyber insurers can use the open datasets to improve their understanding and assessment of cyber risks. For example, the impact datasets can be used to better measure financial impacts and their frequencies. These data could be combined with existing portfolio data from cyber insurers and integrated with existing pricing tools and factors to better assess cyber risk valuation. Although most cyber insurers have sparse historical cyber policy and claims data, they remain too small at present for accurate prediction (Bessy-Roland et al. 2021 ). A combination of portfolio data and external datasets would support risk-adjusted pricing for cyber insurance, which would also benefit policyholders. In addition, cyber insurance stakeholders can use the datasets to identify patterns and make better predictions, which would benefit sustainable cyber insurance coverage. In terms of cyber risk cause datasets, cyber insurers can use the data to review their insurance products. For example, the data could provide information on which cyber risks have not been sufficiently considered in product design or where improvements are needed. A combination of cyber cause and cybersecurity datasets can help establish uniform definitions to provide greater transparency and clarity. Consistent terminology could lead to a more sustainable cyber market, where cyber insurers make informed decisions about the level of coverage and policyholders understand their coverage (The Geneva Association 2020).

In addition to the cyber insurance community, this research also supports cybersecurity stakeholders. The reviewed literature can be used to provide a contemporary, contextual and categorised summary of available datasets. This supports efficient and timely progress in cyber risk research and is beneficial given the dynamic nature of cyber risks. With the help of the described cybersecurity datasets and the identified information, a comparison of different datasets is possible. The datasets can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures in simulated cyberattacks or to test intrusion detection systems.

In this paper, we conducted a systematic review of studies on cyber risk and cybersecurity databases. We found that most of the datasets are in the field of intrusion detection and machine learning and are used for technical cybersecurity aspects. The available datasets on cyber risks were relatively less represented. Due to the dynamic nature and lack of historical data, assessing and understanding cyber risk is a major challenge for cyber insurance stakeholders. To address this challenge, a greater density of cyber data is needed to support cyber insurers in risk management and researchers with cyber risk-related topics. With reference to ‘Open Science’ FAIR data (Jacobsen et al. 2020 ), mandatory reporting of cyber incidents could help improve cyber understanding, awareness and loss prevention among companies and insurers. Through greater availability of data, cyber risks can be better understood, enabling researchers to conduct more in-depth research into these risks. Companies could incorporate this new knowledge into their corporate culture to reduce cyber risks. For insurance companies, this would have the advantage that all insurers would have the same understanding of cyber risks, which would support sustainable risk-based pricing. In addition, common definitions of cyber risks could be derived from new data.

The cybersecurity databases summarised and categorised in this research could provide a different perspective on cyber risks that would enable the formulation of common definitions in cyber policies. The datasets can help companies addressing cybersecurity and cyber risk as part of risk management assess their internal cyber posture and cybersecurity measures. The paper can also help improve risk awareness and corporate behaviour, and provides the research community with a comprehensive overview of peer-reviewed datasets and other available datasets in the area of cyber risk and cybersecurity. This approach is intended to support the free availability of data for research. The complete tabulated review of the literature is included in the Supplementary Material.

This work provides directions for several paths of future work. First, there are currently few publicly available datasets for cyber risk and cybersecurity. The older datasets that are still widely used no longer reflect today's technical environment. Moreover, they can often only be used in one context, and the scope of the samples is very limited. It would be of great value if more datasets were publicly available that reflect current environmental conditions. This could help intrusion detection systems to consider current events and thus lead to a higher success rate. It could also compensate for the disadvantages of older datasets by collecting larger quantities of samples and making this contextualisation more widespread. Another area of research may be the integratability and adaptability of cybersecurity and cyber risk datasets. For example, it is often unclear to what extent datasets can be integrated or adapted to existing data. For cyber risks and cybersecurity, it would be helpful to know what requirements need to be met or what is needed to use the datasets appropriately. In addition, it would certainly be helpful to know whether datasets can be modified to be used for cyber risks or cybersecurity. Finally, the ability for stakeholders to identify machine-readable cybersecurity datasets would be useful because it would allow for even clearer delineations or comparisons between datasets. Due to the lack of publicly available datasets, concrete benchmarks often cannot be applied.

Average cost of a breach of more than 50 million records.

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Cremer, F., Sheehan, B., Fortmann, M. et al. Cyber risk and cybersecurity: a systematic review of data availability. Geneva Pap Risk Insur Issues Pract 47 , 698–736 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-022-00266-6

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A List of 181 Hot Cyber Security Topics for Research [2024]

Your computer stores your memories, contacts, and study-related materials. It’s probably one of your most valuable items. But how often do you think about its safety?

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Cyber security is something that can help you with this. Simply put, it prevents digital attacks so that no one can access your data. Do you want to write a research paper related to the modern challenges of cyberspace? This article has all you need. In here, you’ll find:

• An overview of cyber security’s research areas.
• A selection of compelling cyber security research topics.

And don’t hesitate to contact our custom writing team in case you need any assistance!

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• ✅ Research Areas
• ⭐ Top 10 Cybersecurity Topics
• 🔒 Technology Security Topics
• 🖥️ Cybercrime Topics
• ⚖️ Cyber Law & Ethics Topics

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 cyber security topics.

• How does malware work?
• The principle of zero trust access
• 3 phases of application security
• Should removable media be encrypted?
• The importance of network security
• The importance of end-user education
• Cloud security posture management
• Do biometrics ensure security of IPhones?
• Can strong passwords protect information?
• Is security in critical infrastructure important?

✅ Cyber Security Topics & Research Areas

Cyber security is a vast, constantly evolving field. Its research takes place in many areas. Among them are:

• Safe quantum and space communications . Progress in quantum technologies and space travel calls for extra layers of protection.
• Data privacy. If someone’s personal information falls into the wrong hands, the consequences can be dire. That’s why research in this area focuses on encryption techniques.
• (Inter)national cyberethics, criminology, and law. This branch analyzes how international legal frameworks work online.
• AI and IoT security . We spend more and more of our daily lives online. Additionally, our reliance on AI increases. This scientific field strives to ensure a safe continuation of this path.

As you can see, cyber security extends in various exciting directions that you can explore. Naturally, every paper needs a cover page. We know that it’s one of the more annoying parts, so it’s not a bad thing to use a title page generator for your research paper . Now, let’s move on to our cyber topics list.

⭐ Top 10 Cybersecurity Topics 2024

• Is removable media a threat?
• Blockchain security vulnerabilities
• Why should you avoid public Wi-Fi?
• How to prevent phishing attacks
• Physical security measures in banks
• Security breaches of remote working
• How does two-factor authentication work?
• How to prevent social engineering attacks
• Cybersecurity standards for automotive
• Privacy settings of social media accounts

🔒 Computer Security Topics to Research

Safe computer and network usage is crucial. It concerns not only business but also individuals. Security programs and systems ensure this protection. Explore them with one of our topics:

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• How do companies avoid sending out confidential information ? Sending an email to the wrong person has happened to the best of us. But what happens if the message’s contents were classified? For your paper, you can find out what technologies can prevent such slip-ups.
• What are the best ways to detect malicious activity ? Any organization’s website gets plenty of daily traffic. People log in, browse, and interact with each other. Among all of them, it might be easy for an intruder to slip in.
• Internet censorship: classified information leaks . China takes internet censorship to the next level. Its comprehensive protection policies gave the system the nickname Great Firewall of China . Discuss this technology in your essay.
• Encrypted viruses as the plague of the century . Antivirus programs are installed on almost every computer. They prevent malicious code from tampering with your data. In your paper, you can conduct a comparison of several such programs.
• What are the pros and cons of various cryptographic methods? Data privacy is becoming more and more critical. That’s why leading messaging services frequently advertise with their encryption technologies .
• What makes blockchain secure ? This technique allows anonymity and decentralization when working with cryptocurrencies . How does it work? What risks are associated with it?
• What are the advantages of SIEM ? Security Incident and Event Management helps organizations detect and handle security threats. Your essay can focus on its relevance for businesses.
• What are the signs of phishing attempts?
• Discuss unified cyber security standards in healthcare .
• Compare and contrast various forms of data extraction techniques.
• What do computers need protocols for?
• Debate the significance of frequent system updates for data security .
• What methods does HTTPS use that make it more secure than HTTP?
• The role of prime numbers in cryptography .
• What are public key certificates , and why are they useful?
• What does a VPN do?
• Are wireless internet connections less secure than LAN ones? If so, why?
• How do authentication processes work?
• What can you do with IP addresses?
• Explain the technology of unlocking your phone via facial recognition vs. your fingerprint.
• How do you prevent intrusion attempts in networks ?
• What makes Telnet vulnerable?
• What are the phases of a Trojan horse attack?
• Compare the encryption technologies of various social networks.
• Asymmetric vs. symmetric algorithms.
• How can a person reach maximum security in the computer networking world ?
• Discuss autoencoders and reveal how they work.

💾 Information Security Topics to Research

Information security’s goal is to protect the transmission and storage of data. On top of that, network security topics are at the forefront of infosec research. If you’re looking for inspiration on the subject, check out these ideas.

• What are the mechanics of password protection ? Passwords are a simple tool to ensure confidentiality. What do users and developers need to keep in mind when handling passwords?
• What are the safest ways to ensure data integrity ? Everybody wants their data to be intact. Accidental or malicious modifications of data can have dire consequences for organizations and individuals. Explore ways to avoid it.
• How can one establish non-repudiation? Non-repudiation proves the validity of your data. It’s essential in legal cases and cyber security .
• How did the advent of these new technologies impact information security ? Mobile networks have changed the way we access information. On a smartphone , everything is permanently available at your fingertips. What adverse consequences did these technologies bring?
• How do big corporations ensure that their database environment stays conflict-free? We expect our computers to always run fast and without errors. For institutions such as hospitals, a smooth workflow is vital. Discuss how it can be achieved.
• Describe solid access control methods for organizations. In a company, employees need access to different things. This means that not everyone should have an admin account. How should we control access to information ?
• Medical device cyber security. For maximum safety, it’s best to employ several measures. Protection on the hard- and software side is just a part of it. What are some other means of security?
• Write an argumentative essay on why a career in information security doesn’t require a degree.
• Pros and cons of various infosec certificates.
• Cybersecurity in cruise ship industry
• The influence of remote work on a businesses’ infosec network .
• What should everyone be aware of when it comes to safeguarding private information?
• Select a company and calculate how much budget they should allocate on cyber security.
• What are the dangers of public Wi-Fi networks ?
• How secure are cloud services ?
• Apple vs. Microsoft : whose systems offer better security?
• Why is it important to remove a USB flash drive safely?
• Is it possible to create an unguessable password?
• Intranet security : best practices.
• Does the use of biometrics increase security?
• Face recognition vs. a simple code: what are the safest locking options for smartphones ?
• How do you recover data from a broken hard drive?
• Discuss the functions and risks of cookies and cache files.
• Online privacy regulations in the US and China.
• Physical components of infosec .
• Debate security concerns regarding electronic health records .
• What are unified user profiles, and what makes them potentially risky?

🖥️ Cybercrime Topics for a Research Paper

Knowledge is one of today’s most valuable assets. Because of this, cybercrimes usually target the extraction of information. This practice can have devastating effects. Do you want to learn more about the virtual world’s dark side? This section is for you.

• Give an overview of the various types of cybercrimes today . Cybercriminals are becoming more and more inventive. It’s not easy to keep up with the new threats appearing every day. What threats are currently the most prominent?
• How does cryptojacking work, and why is it problematic? Cryptocurrency’s value explosion has made people greedy. Countries such as Iceland have become a haven for datamining. Explore these issues in your essay.
• Analyze the success rate of email frauds . You’ve probably seen irrelevant ads in your spam folder before. They often sound so silly it’s hard to believe they work. Yet, unfortunately, many people become victims of such scams.
• How did the WannaCry malware work? WannaCry was ransomware that caused global trouble in 2017. It led to financial losses in the billions. What made it so dangerous and hard to stop?
• Give famous examples of cybercrimes that targeted people instead of money . Not all cybercrimes want to generate profit. Sometimes, the reasons are political or personal. Explore several instances of such crimes in your essay. How did they pan out?

• Analyze the implications of the Cyberpunk 2077 leak. The game’s bugs and issues made many people angry. Shortly after its flop, hackers released developer CD Projekt Red’s source codes. What far-reaching consequences could this have?
• Why do hackers commit identity theft? Social media has made it easy to steal identities . Many like to display their lives online. In your paper, research what happens to the victims of identity thefts.
• Should governments punish cybercrimes like real-life crimes?
• How does ransomware work?
• Describe the phases of a DDoS attack.
• What cybercrime cases led to changes in the legislature ?
• Track the evolution of online scams.
• Online grooming: how to protect children from predators.
• Are cybercrimes “gateway crimes” that lead to real-life misbehavior?
• What are man-in-the-middle attacks?
• Big data and the rise of internet crimes.
• Are cybercrimes more dangerous to society than they are to corporations?
• Is the internet increasing the likelihood of adolescents engaging in illegal activities?
• Do the downsides of cyberlife outweigh its positives?
• Is constantly checking your crush’s Facebook page cyberstalking?
• How do you recognize your online date is a scam?
• Describe what happens during a Brute Force attack.
• What’s the difference between pharming and phishing?
• The Lehman Bank cybercrimes
• Should the punishments for cybercriminals be harsher than they are now?
• Compare various types of fraud methods .
• How do you mitigate a denial-of-service attack?

🕵️ Topics for a Research Paper on Hacking

Blinking screens and flashing lines of code: the movie industry makes hacking look fascinating. But what actually happens when someone breaks into another person’s computer’s system? Write a paper about it and find out! The following prompts allow you to dive deeper into the subject.

• Is it vital to keep shutting down online movie streaming sites? Many websites offer free movie streaming. If one of their domains gets closed down, they just open another one. Are they a threat to the industry that must be stopped? Or should cyber law enforcement rather focus on more serious crimes?
• Explore the ethical side of whistleblowing. WikiLeaks is a platform for whistleblowers. Its founder, Julian Assange, has been under arrest for a long time. Should whistleblowing be a crime? Why or why not?
• How did Kevin Mitnick’s actions contribute to the American cyber legislature? Mitnick was one of the US’s first most notorious hackers. He claimed to have broken into NORAD’s system. What were the consequences?
• Examine how GhostNet operates. GhostNet is a large organization attacking governments. Its discovery in 2009 led to a major scandal.
• Describe how an SQL injection attack unfolds. Injection attacks target SQL databases and libraries. This way, hackers gain unauthorized access to data.
• What political consequences did the attack on The Interview imply? In 2014, hackers threatened to attack theaters that showed The Interview . As a result, Sony only showed the movie online and in limited releases.
• Write about cross-site request forgery attacks. Every website tells you that logging out is a crucial step. But what can happen if you don’t do it?
• What is “Anonymous,” and what do they do?
• Is it permissible to hack a system to raise awareness of its vulnerabilities?
• Investigate the origins of the hacking culture .
• How did industrial espionage evolve into hacking?
• Is piracy destroying the music and movie industries ?
• Explain the term “cyberwarfare.”
• Contrast different types of hacking .
• Connections between political protests and hacking.
• Is it possible to create an encryption that can’t be hacked?
• The role of hackers in modern warfare .
• Can hacking be ethical?
• Who or what are white hat hackers ?
• Discuss what various types of hackers do.
• Is jailbreaking a crime?
• How does hacking a phone differ from hacking a computer?
• Is hacking your personal home devices problematic?
• What is clickjacking?
• Why would hackers target newspapers ?
• Examine the consequences society would have to bear if a hacker targeted the state.
• Compare and analyze different hacking collectives.

⚖️ Topics on Cyber Law & Ethics to Look Into

Virtual life needs rules just like the real one does. The online world brings a different set of values and issues to the table. And, naturally, cyberlife has a legal framework. That’s where researching cyber law and ethics comes into play.

• Is it ethical that governments can always access their citizens’ data? In some countries, online platforms for personal information are standard. From medical exams to debts , everything is available with a click. The system is inarguably convenient. But what about its downsides?
• Is it still morally permissible to use Spotify ? Spotify has made listening to music more accessible than ever. However, artists only receive a tiny fraction of the company’s profits. Discuss the implications of this fact.
• Should internet forums require users to display their real names? Online harassment is a widespread problem. Nicknames hide the identities of ordinary users as well as perpetrators. Can the mandatory use of real names change the situation?
• Analyze online gaming behavior from a psychological standpoint. If one wants to play online games, one needs to have a thick skin. The community can be harsh. You can dedicate your paper to exploring these behaviors. Or you might want to ponder what game publishers can do to reduce hate speech.
• What type of restrictions should sellers implement to prevent domain speculation? Some people buy domains hoping that they will sell them later for more money. This practice makes registering a new website trickier.
• Does the internet need regulations to make adult content less visible? Every computer without parental control can access pornographic websites. Most of them don’t require registration . Their contents can be disturbing, and their ads can appear anywhere. What can be done about it?
• What are cyber laws still missing in America? The US has established many laws to regulate internet usage. Select the most significant ones and explain their relevance.
• Why should cyber ethics be different from real-world norms?
• Are there instances in which illegal downloading is justified?
• The rule of law in real life vs. in cyberspace.
• Does the internet need a government?
• What is cyber terrorism, and what makes it dangerous?
• Who is responsible for online misbehavior?
• How binding are netiquettes?
• What did the implementation of the GDPR change?
• Compare and contrast Indian vs. Venezuelan internet regulations.
• What does the CLOUD entail?
• How should law enforcement adapt to online technologies?
• AI applications : ethical limits and possibilities.
• Discuss trending topics in cyber law of the past ten years.
• Should schools teach online etiquette?
• Does internet anonymity bring out the worst in people?
• Is data privacy more important than convenience and centralization?
• Debate whether bitcoins could become the currency of the future.
• How can online consumers protect themselves from fraud ?
• Is buying from websites like eBay and Craigslist more ethical than buying from other online marketplaces?
• Present RSF’s Minecraft library and discuss its moral implications.

🖱️ Cyberbullying Topics for Essays and Papers

On the web, everyone can remain anonymous. With this added comfort, bullying rises to another level. It’s a serious issue that’s getting more and more problematic. Cyber security measures can alleviate the burden. Do you want to address the problem? Have a look at our cyberbullying topics below.

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• Cyberbullying prevention in online learning environments . Online classes increase the possibility of cyberbullying. What can teachers do to watch out for their students?
• What makes online emotional abuse particularly difficult to bear? Bullying doesn’t necessarily have to be physical to hurt. Statistics show increased suicide rates among students who were harassed online. Explore the reasons behind this phenomenon.
• How can victims of identity theft reclaim their lives? Identity theft leads not only to mental distress. Thieves also have access to credit card information and other essential assets.
• What are the best methods to stay safe online? When surfing the internet, one always has to be on one’s toes. Avoiding harassment and bullying is a particularly challenging task.
• How can parents monitor their children’s behavior on the web? Children are particularly vulnerable online. They might enter dangerous online relationships with strangers if they feel lonely. They are also more susceptible to scams. What can parents do to protect them?
• Cyberbullying among university students. Online abuse in such websites is very common. Everyone can be a potential target, regardless of age or gender. Discuss whether the structure of social networks helps to spread cyberbullying.
• What societal factors contribute to online bullying? Not everyone who uses the internet becomes an abuser. It’s possible to establish several psychological characteristics of cyberbullies. Explore them in your paper.
• Define how cyberbullying differs from in-person harassment .
• Establish a link between feminism and the fight against cyberstalking .
• The emotional consequences of physical vs. verbal abuse.
• The effects of cyberbullying and academics.
• Short vs. long-term mental health effects of internet bullying .
• What are the most widespread means of cyberbullying ?
• Should people who want to play video games online get over the fact that the community is toxic?
• Is defending the freedom of speech more important than preventing the spread of hate speech?
• Reasons and consequences of Amanda Todd’s suicide.
• The dangers of pro-ana/-mia communities for adolescents.
• What are effective strategies to cope with online harassment ?
• Would cyber communism decrease bullying?
• How enhanced cyber security measures can help reduce abuse.
• The importance of parental control mechanisms on children’s computers.
• Traditional vs. cyberbullying in children.
• Do image-heavy websites such as Tumblr and Instagram affect one’s mental state similarly to active abuse?
• What kind of people does cyber abuse affect the most, and why?
• Analyze how the stalker uses the internet in Netflix’s series You .
• Catfishing: effects and solutions.

Thanks for reading through our article. If you found it helpful, consider sharing it with your friends. We wish you good luck with your project!

Further reading:

• 220 Best Science and Technology Essay Topics to Write About
• 204 Research Topics on Technology & Computer Science
• A List of 580 Interesting Research Topics [2024 Edition]
• A List of 179 Problem Solution Essay Topics & Questions
• 193 Interesting Proposal Essay Topics and Ideas
• 226 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology
• What Is Cybersecurity?: Cisco
• Cyber Security: Research Areas: The University of Queensland, Australia
• Cybersecurity: National Institute of Standards and Technology
• What Is Information Security?: CSO Online
• Articles on Cyber Ethics: The Conversation
• What Is Cybercrime?: Kaspersky
• Types of Cybercrime and How to Protect Yourself Against Them: Security Traits
• Hacking: Computing: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Hacking News: Science Daily
• Cyberbullying and Cybersecurity: How Are They Connected?: AT&T
• Cyberbullying: What Is It and How to Stop It: UNICEF
• Current Awareness: Cyberlaw Decoded: Florida State University
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5 Research Topics in Cybersecurity

In 2022, market and consumer data firm Statista reported that cyberattacks would cost individuals and companies $8.4 trillion globally that year. By 2027, it projected, the cost would rise to $23.8 trillion. Cyberattacks occur when individuals gain unauthorized access to digital systems and information for malicious purposes. Their enormous cost to people and organizations makes it critical to protect systems, software and data against those attacks.

The term “cybersecurity” refers to efforts to protect corporate or personal electronic equipment against these costly attacks. Understanding the vulnerabilities that can allow unauthorized and damaging access to digital systems is a key component in cybersecurity research. An advanced degree in information security management can help professionals learn how cybersecurity risks are evolving, what cybersecurity risks to look for in their own organizations and how to address them.

What Is Cybersecurity Research?

Cybersecurity research focuses on reviewing digital tools and processes to reveal potential vulnerabilities. Research on cybersecurity topics ranging from the Internet of Things (IoT) to work-from-home (WFH) information security can help people and companies stave off data breaches in those key areas.

Cybersecurity professionals can rely on computer science research tactics such as testing web browsers and online applications to uncover areas that a hacker could exploit to gain unauthorized data access. They can also turn to empirical research that examines issues related to cybersecurity from various angles, from criminal science to international relations, and that offers approaches to address those concerns.

In fact, conducting research about potential security threats and information technology (IT) trends is a key responsibility of cybersecurity professionals, such as information security analysts.

Why Is Cybersecurity Research Important?

The value of cybersecurity research is growing due to the proliferation of connected devices that allow cybercriminals to access digital information — and as the costs associated with successful cyberattacks increase.

The origin of cyberattacks can be computers and the systems that run them, but it can also be any of hundreds of everyday devices that use technology to collect and share data. From smartphones to medical equipment, the tools that cyberattackers can compromise generate or store a staggering amount of data.

Statista reports that the amount of data created, copied, downloaded and read globally in 2010 was 2 zettabytes. By 2025, Statista predicts, the capacity of the data in use around the world will reach 181 zettabytes.

The growth in the use of data is occurring alongside a host of issues, from COVID-19-related disruptions to geopolitical events, that can make the technology that shares and stores it more vulnerable to attack. Conducting research on cybersecurity topics can assist IT professionals in protecting these large amounts of data during challenging times by helping them:

• Understand the vulnerabilities of digital tools and processes
• Determine the significance of data breach impacts
• Prioritize their efforts to ensure protection of critical information

5 Current Research Topics in Cybersecurity?

Today’s most pressing research topics in cybersecurity go beyond password protection and firewalls. A global pandemic, geopolitical events and technological advances are also behind some key topics that are now driving cybersecurity research. Below are five of those top cybersecurity research topics.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI), in which machines complete tasks that traditionally had required humans to perform, today is helping computing professionals observe and analyze activity related to large amounts of digital data. The efficiency of using AI for cybersecurity can lead to significant savings as organizations respond to data compromises. The shortened response time led companies to an average of $3 million in savings in those situations, according to a 2022 report from IBM.

One key research topic for cybersecurity professionals is how best to use AI to find potential vulnerabilities and remove them — before cyberattackers use that same technology to find those security risks and exploit them.

However, AI in the wrong hands can also present a cybersecurity risk. AI can also be a tool for misusing data, with cybercriminals relying on this technology to create inauthentic emails and phone messages to trick users into providing personal data. The increasing reliance on AI makes this issue even more important for cybersecurity researchers, with Statista projecting in 2022 that the AI software market would reach $126 billion around the world by 2025.

2. Digital Supply Chains

Digital supply chain systems monitor and evaluate the functions of each party in the chain, to help them produce and distribute products more efficiently. Hackers can exploit the technology used in this process, making cyberattacks an additional threat to supply chains already experiencing disruptions related to the pandemic.

For example, technology research firm Gartner, predicted in 2022 that by 2025, a total of 45 percent of companies would suffer digital attacks on their supply chains. This percentage is three times higher than the percentage from 2021. A 2022 report from cybersecurity company Venafi found that 82 percent of chief information officers feared that their organizations’ supply chains were vulnerable to this type of attack.

Cybersecurity professionals today are investigating potential digital security risks in supply chains, while corporate leaders are seeking out suppliers that focus on researching — and correcting — these vulnerabilities.

3. Internet of Things

The IoT refers to the ability to connect almost any device with the internet and with other connected tools. From kitchen appliances to wearable fitness gadgets, numerous products and tools are part of the IoT. Statista reported in 2022 that more than 11 million devices were digitally connected in 2021. The firm also projected that more than 29 billion devices would be IoT connected by 2030.

The many devices that rely on the IoT measure and process vast amounts of data, and the networks and cloud systems that hold and share that data present a host of security risks. A key area of cybersecurity research has been tracking these vulnerabilities. Manufacturers, consumers and governments have begun using the knowledge gathered by cybersecurity researchers to establish practices and policies that safeguard against the risks these researchers are finding.

4. State-Sponsored Attacks

Cyberattacks from government actors seeking state secrets are nothing new, but a growing trend is for hackers seeking this unauthorized access to target organizations and individuals with no government affiliation. The ultimate goal can be intelligence, technology theft, supply chain disruption or even influencing internal politics through disinformation.

A 2022 Forbes article noted that in 2023, more than 70 nations were set to conduct elections, and the digital activities related to these events, including reports about them, are a frequent target of hostile government actors. Additionally, countries involved in armed conflicts increasingly rely on cyberattacks to gain advantage over enemy governments, even when it involves interfering with the work of private companies and citizens.

These trends have made it critical for cybersecurity researchers to learn more about potential vulnerabilities in government networks, attacks on private companies that can impact critical infrastructure, and the security of elections.

5. Working From Home

Fueled by pandemic restrictions, the number of WFH employees exploded in recent years. The number of remote workers will reach more than 36 million in the U.S. by 2025, according to 2020 projections from freelancing platform Upwork.

The many employees based at off-site locations have made managing data security difficult for companies, whose workers may use unprotected devices to access and transmit business information. That leaves the employees vulnerable to attacks that target sensitive data or threaten malicious activity unless the company meets the hackers’ demands.

Adding to the security risk is the proliferation of work and other activity that requires the use of the internet and internet-based tools like videoconferencing. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey showed that 40 percent of Americans had relied on these types of tools and processes in new ways since the pandemic began in early 2020. Cybersecurity professionals are studying how best to protect employees — and the corporate data they use in their work — from cyberattackers.

Take a Leadership Role in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity research can shed light on issues with data protection — and the tools and processes that provide it. If you’re ready to help guide your organization’s response to cybersecurity issues, explore Augusta University Online’s Master of Science (MS) in Information Security Management program.

Through online courses focused on Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification elements, students can gain the knowledge to help their employers navigate today’s cybersecurity challenges. Explore how AU Online’s MS in Information Security Management can help you reach your career goals.

Built In, “What Is Artificial Intelligence?” Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Cyber Threats and Advisories Forbes, “The Top Five Cybersecurity Trends in 2023” Gartner, “7 Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2022” IBM, “Cost of Data Breach 2022: A Million Dollar Race to Detect and Respond” IBM, What Is Cybersecurity? Journal of Cybersecurity, About the Journal Microsoft, What Is a Cyberattack? Network World, “What Is IoT? The Internet of Things Explained” Oracle, “Digital Supply Chain Explained” Pew Research Center, “The Internet and the Pandemic” Statista, Estimated Cost of Cybercrime Worldwide From 2016 to 2027 Statista, Number of Internet of Things (IoT)-Connected Devices Worldwide From 2019 to 2021, With Forecasts From 2022 to 2030 Statista, Revenues From the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software Market Worldwide From 2018 to 2025 Statista, Volume of Data/Information Created, Captured, Copied, and Consumed Worldwide From 2010 to 2020, With Forecasts From 2021 to 2025 TechRadar Pro, “Why Cybersecurity Research Is Now More Important Than Ever” The Conversation, “5 Ways the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Forever Changed Cybersecurity” Upwork, Upwork Study Finds 22% of American Workforce Will Be Remote by 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Information Security Analysts Venafi, “Study: 82% of CIOs Say Their Software Supply Chains Are Vulnerable” Vivaldi, “An Insight Into Security Research and Ethical Hacking”

Augusta University Online

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Top 111+ Stunning Cybersecurity Research Topics For 2023

Are you confused about cybersecurity and its research topics? So here, in this blog, we will discuss cybersecurity research topics. This article is important If you are studying computer science or a cybersecurity course.

If you want good grades in cybersecurity research topics, you should pick the latest cybersecurity research topics for your academic exam or test. Here, you can choose the good and latest cybersecurity research topics.

You know that cybercrime is increasing day by day because millions of people use the internet. Several applications deal with the internet, and people normally use the internet for bank transactions, food delivery, online shopping, social media, gaming, etc. Attackers can steal your information, data, and money with the help of malicious software, So we need cybersecurity services.

What is Cybersecurity?

Table of Contents

Cybersecurity is a process of preventing unauthorized access or protecting networks, devices, and data from digital attacks. Cybersecurity is also known as IT(Information Technology)Security which is designed to prevent threats against network systems, applications, and other platforms. In simple words, It prevents or protects any information, data, and others.

Here Are Some of the Best Writing Tips From Statanalytica’s Expert

As you might already know that a well-planned action and a set of useful tools will also help you write a high-quality research paper. On the other hand, remaining motivated throughout the process.

• By choosing an interesting topic for your research paper.
• Conduct some research to find reputable sources.
• Clearly state your cybersecurity thesis.
• A rough plan should be created.
• Finish your paper by drafting it.
• Make sure your content is properly formatted.
• Make sure you understand the assignment before you begin writing your research paper.

Let’s Discuss the 111+ Stunning Cybersecurity Research Topics

Below we listed 111+ cybersecurity research topics that can be used in 2023:

Top 10 Cyber Security Topics of 2023

Here are the top 10 cyber security topics of 2023:

• Can strong passwords protect information?
• Is security in critical infrastructure important?
• The importance of end-user education
• Cloud security posture management
• How does malware work?
• The principle of zero trust access
• 3 phases of application security
• Should removable media be encrypted?
• The importance of network security
• Do biometrics ensure the security of iPhones?

Latest Cybersecurity Research Topics of 2023

• Is removable media a threat?
• Cybersecurity standards for automotive
• How to prevent social engineering attacks
• Security breaches of remote working
• How to prevent phishing attacks
• Physical security measures in banks
• Privacy settings of social media accounts
• Blockchain security vulnerabilities
• Why should you avoid public Wi-Fi?
• How does two-factor authentication work?
• Cryptography
• Discuss the importance of intranet security
• Rise of Automotive Hacking
• What is ethical hacking? 
• The evolution of phishing and how it is becoming more sophisticated
• Which antivirus software is the best in the world?
• The most up-to-date and trending cybersecurity technology
• How can organizations prevent network attacks?
• What is Digital Piracy?
•  Application of biometrics in cyber security?
• Identity theft on the Internet
• Risk management in computing
•  Rise of computer forensics
• Threats are analyzed using digital forensic techniques
• What is a Remote Access VPN?
•  Digital security and Social Networks
• The risks of using public Wi-Fi networks
• Popular online scams in 2022
• Artificial intelligence security systems

Network Security Research Topics 

• Data storage centralization
• Identify Malicious activity on a computer system.
• Importance of keeping updated Software 
• wireless sensor network
• What are the effects of ad-hoc networks 
• How can a company network be safe?
• What are Network segmentation and its applications?
• Discuss Data Loss Prevention systems 
• Discuss various methods for establishing secure algorithms in a network.
• Talk about two-factor authentication

Topics for Application Security Research

• Discuss SQL injection attacks.
• Inadequately configured security protocols.
• Talk about data leaks in mobile apps.
• Backend access control is critical.
• Logging has many advantages for applications.
• Malicious apps are available on Google Play.
• AI applications: ethical constraints and opportunities.
• What is the effect of insecure deserialization?
• The most effective application security testing practices.
• Apps are vulnerable to XSS attacks.

 Information Technology Security Research Topics

• Why should people avoid sharing their details on Facebook?
• What is the importance of unified user profiles?
•  Discuss Cookies and Privacy 
• White hat and black hat hackers
• What are the most secure methods for ensuring data integrity?
• Talk about the implications of Wi-Fi hacking apps on mobile phones
• Analyze the data breaches in 2022
• Discuss digital piracy in 2022
• critical cyber-attack concepts
• Social engineering and its importance

Operational Security Research Topics In 2023

• Securing containerized applications in cloud environments.
• Implementing secure remote access policies for remote workers.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of endpoint protection solutions.
• Protecting against DNS tunneling attacks.
• Securing cloud-based storage solutions.
• Developing secure mobile device management policies.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of honeypots in detecting attacks.
• Securing software supply chains against attacks.
• Investigating the effectiveness of deception technologies in cybersecurity.
• Developing secure network segmentation strategies.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of network traffic analysis solutions.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of two-factor authentication in securing systems.
• Securing critical infrastructure against cyber threats.
• Developing secure email policies to prevent phishing attacks.
• Investigating the use of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity.
• Developing secure DevOps practices.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of security information and event management (SIEM) solutions.
• Securing the Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of password management solutions.
• Developing secure incident response strategies.

Topics for a Research Paper on CyberCrime Prevention

• Criminal Specialization. 
• Drug Courts. 
• Capital Punishment. 
• Criminal Courts. 
• Crime Prevention. 
• Community Corrections. 
• Criminal Law. 
• Criminal Justice Ethics. 

Computer and Software Security Research Topics

• Learn algorithms for data encryption.
• Concept of risk management security.
• How to develop the best internet security software.
•  What are Encrypting viruses- How does it work?
• How does a Ransomware attack work?
• Scanning of malware on your PC.
• Infiltrating a Mac OS X operating system.
• What are the effects of RSA on network security?
• How do encrypting viruses work?
• DDoS attacks on IoT devices.

Computer and Software Cyber Security Topics

• The importance of updating computer software.
• How to safeguard your computer against malware and other threats.
• The best security practices for your computer and software.
• The various types of cyber security threats and how to avoid them.
• The significance of cyber security education and awareness.
• The importance of cyber security in protecting critical infrastructure.

Data Security Research Topics

• Importance of backup and recovery.
• Benefits of logging for applications.
• Understand physical data security.
• Importance of Cloud Security.
• In computing, the relationship between privacy and data security.
• Discuss the effects of a black hole on a network system.

Application Security Topics

• Detect Malicious Activity on Google Play Apps.
• Dangers of XSS attacks on apps.
• Insecure Deserialization Effect.
• Check Security protocols.

CyberSecurity Law Research Paper Topics

• Strict cybersecurity laws in China.
• Importance of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act.
• USA, UK, and other countries cybersecurity laws.
• Discuss The Pipeline Security Act in the United States.

If you are interested in criminal research topics, then here are the best criminal justice research topics for you.

How to Choose The Best Cybersecurity Research Topics in 2023

There are a few factors to consider when selecting cybersecurity research topics. The first and main thing to consider is to ensure that the topic is current and relevant. Because cyber security is a changing field. As a result, it is very crucial to select a topic that will be relevant for a few months.

On the other hand, the second thing to consider is to select an interesting and engaging topic. Because cyber security can be a dry subject, it is critical to select a topic that will keep readers interested.

Finally, it is very important to select a researchable topic. There are several cybersecurity topics available, but not all of them are simple to research. Choose a topic about which there is a lot of information.

• Determine your target audience
• Define your research objectives
• Choose a topic that your audience will find both interesting and relevant
• Conduct preliminary research to ensure that there is sufficient information available on your chosen topic
• Make sure your topic is focused enough to fit into a single research paper

Research Area in Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is extensive, and constantly evolving field. On the other hand, its research takes place in many areas:

• Quantum & Space 
• Data Privacy 
• Criminology & Law
• AI & IoT Security

Get More Cybersecurity Research Topics

In this blog, we have covered the 111+ best cybersecurity research topics. These cybersecurity topics help in your exam or test. If you have any difficulty with cybersecurity research topics, you can take cybersecurity research paper help or research paper assignment help at a very affordable price.

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You can contact us any time and impress your teacher by choosing a good cybersecurity research topic.

This is the end of the post, which is about cybersecurity research topics. On the other hand, we mentioned 111+ stunning cybersecurity research topics for 2023 offer an excellent opportunity for researchers to explore and address critical cybersecurity challenges. However, the ever-evolving technological landscape presents new security challenges every day, and it is essential to keep up with the latest trends to stay ahead of cyber threats. 

On the other hand, these research topics provide many areas to explore, from network security, the internet of things, and software security to network security, cryptography, and data security. I hope you like this post.

Q1. What are the types of cyber security threats?

There are several different types of cyber security threats. More popular are Trojan horses, worms, ransomware, and phishing scams. These types of threats can be very dangerous for the cyber system.

Q2. What are the most controversial topics in criminal justice?

1. Prisoners being granted the right to work 2. Carrying a concealed weapon 3. Prison rape and violence 4. Plea agreement/bargain 5. Rehab vs. reform. 6. Is an eyewitness testimony effective? 7. Enforcement and effectiveness of stalking laws. 8. Rape culture and the victim’s rights

Q3. What are the main cyber threats of 2023?

There are multiple cyber security threats, but the main social threats of 2023 are email impersonation and phishing.  On the other hand, email impersonation is a phishing technique in which a fake email address that appears to be legitimate is used. 

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Information Security Behavior in Health Information Systems: A Review of Research Trends and Antecedent Factors

Puspita kencana sari.

1 Faculty of Computer Science, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, Indonesia

2 Faculty of Economic & Business, Telkom University, Bandung 40257, Indonesia

Putu Wuri Handayani

Achmad nizar hidayanto, setiadi yazid, rizal fathoni aji, associated data.

Search results are available from the authors.

This study aims to review the literature on antecedent factors of information security related to the protection of health information systems (HISs) in the healthcare organization. We classify those factors into organizational and individual aspects. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Academic articles were sourced from five online databases (Scopus, PubMed, IEEE, ScienceDirect, and SAGE) using keywords related to information security, behavior, and healthcare facilities. The search yielded 35 studies, in which the three most frequent individual factors were self-efficacy, perceived severity, and attitudes, while the three most frequent organizational factors were management support, cues to action, and organizational culture. Individual factors for patients and medical students are still understudied, as are the organizational factors of academic healthcare facilities. More individual factors have been found to significantly influence security behavior. Previous studies have been dominated by the security compliance behavior of clinical and non-clinical hospital staff. These research gaps highlight the theoretical implications of this study. This study provides insight for managers of healthcare facilities and governments to consider individual factors in establishing information security policies and programs for improving security behavior.

1. Introduction

The implementation of health information systems (HISs) by healthcare providers has positive value in properly managing healthcare information but also has negative impacts, such as security and privacy risks. HISs are vulnerable to violations of information security and privacy. Openness and connectedness with many heterogeneous stakeholders in the health network also increase these risks [ 1 ]. The healthcare industry lags far behind other sectors in terms of digital literacy and information security, making them a primary target [ 2 ]. Serious data breach incidents in the healthcare industry have occurred in health insurance institutions in the United States [ 3 , 4 ], health research institutes in the United Kingdom [ 5 ], providers of general laboratory testing services and specialized diagnostics in Canada [ 6 ], and hospital networks [ 7 ] and blood donor agencies in Singapore [ 8 ]. Security breaches target different types of healthcare organizations, although HIPAA Journal [ 9 ] states that 75% of data breaches occur in healthcare providers. Therefore, healthcare providers must maintain the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of patient health information [ 10 , 11 , 12 ] as part of their healthcare service delivery.

Several aspects can make the medical environment especially challenging to manage in terms of security. Healthcare has a larger risk of insider threats than the banking and insurance industries, which both hold and manage highly sensitive information [ 13 ]. The medical setting is strongly influenced by ethical considerations for various professions [ 14 ], affecting their decisions and behavior. Communication and trust issues between medical personnel and patients [ 15 , 16 ] play a fundamental role in patient care. Network expansion of healthcare service providers promotes the policy of sharing data between related parties [ 17 ], which increases the susceptibility of patient information transferred via electronic forms, including data ownership issues [ 18 ], responsibility for ensuring confidentiality [ 19 ], and responsibility for data integrity [ 20 ]. Health facilities are open public organizations [ 14 ], causing difficulties in access control and physical security [ 21 ], even though they have higher vulnerability to information security risks [ 16 ]. Insider threats posed by people with legitimate access to information systems can come from temporary staff, such as medical students, residents, or interns, who have the same need for access to medical data as permanent employees [ 14 , 16 ]. Most healthcare organizations do not prioritize information security in their resource allocation [ 14 ], as healthcare services are their primary business. Employees have different values and norms for information security [ 22 , 23 , 24 ] because it is often seen as hampering productivity in healthcare, especially in emergencies; thus, the level of negligence in security controls is relatively high [ 14 ]. In healthcare, there is not the same degree of worry or caution as in certain other sectors, including the banking industry [ 25 ]. These conditions emphasize that security behavior is a significant factor influencing healthcare organizations’ security effectiveness [ 26 ].

Health information is considered to be the most confidential information among other types of personal information [ 14 ]. It has a high value on the black market and, thus, becomes the target of organized criminal networks [ 27 ]. Some possible impacts include threats to patients based on their medical condition, financial losses and loss of resources, death, serious injury, illegal sales of limited medical equipment and medicines, loss of organizational reputation, and failure to achieve the organization’s mission and goals [ 28 , 29 ]. The most extensive health data breaches have occurred internally, with most incidents being errors and incidents of misuse [ 30 , 31 ]. Previous studies [ 22 , 32 , 33 ] have revealed cases of security breaches caused by human factors. Therefore, information security management in healthcare organizations should encourage good security behavior among employees and other related parties.

Information security behavior is essential in order to ensure that information assets are well protected [ 34 ]. Information-security-related behavior is defined as employee behavior in using organizational information systems, including hardware, software, networks, etc., that have security implications [ 35 ] as a function of the information security components defined by information security policy [ 36 , 37 ]. A previous study by Guo [ 35 ] classified security behaviors into four categories: (1) Security assurance behavior refers to the employee’s deliberate behavior to protect the organization’s information system, where this action is beyond policymakers’ expectations. (2) Security-compliant behavior refers to intentional or unintentional behavior that does not violate an organization’s information security policy, as policymakers expect. (3) Security risk-taking behavior refers to intentional employee behavior that can carry security risks for the organization’s information system, even if the employee has no motive for causing damage. (4) Security-damaging behavior refers to intentional employee behavior that can damage the security of an organization’s information system.

Security assurance and security-compliant behavior are considered desirable security behavior (DSB) because they can promote the effectiveness of information security designed by an organization. Meanwhile, security risk-taking and security-damaging behavior are considered undesirable security behavior (USB) that employees must avoid. In the healthcare context, most studies on security behavior have focused on factors that affect DSB, such as compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)’s security and privacy rules or information security policy. Other studies have also investigated factors influencing USB, such as the intention to disclose patient information. Management can optimize the factors that drive DSB and anticipate the factors that drive USB. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the antecedent factors of both DSB and USB in the healthcare context.

Several previous studies conducted systematic literature reviews related to information security in the health context, such as [ 38 , 39 ], which focused on technical aspects and information security control. In comparison, systematic literature reviews related to information security behavior and culture [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ] have not focused on the healthcare context. We found two articles [ 48 , 49 ] presenting systematic literature reviews concerning information security behavior in health organizations. The study by Page [ 48 ] discussed organizational culture in general but did not focus on healthcare organizations. The review by Yeng et al. [ 49 ] investigated healthcare professionals’ individual factors that can influence their information security practices, including psychological, social, cultural, and demographic factors. However, organizational factors also significantly influence information security practices and behaviors [ 50 , 51 ]. Thus, the present study aims to fill the gap in previous systematic reviews [ 49 ] by exploring individual and organizational factors that influence information security behavior in healthcare organizations.

In the literature on this research topic, the terms “information security” and “cybersecurity” are frequently used synonymously. Cybersecurity is related to the data in cyberspace, in contrast to information security, which is the protection of all information [ 52 ]. In smaller healthcare facilities, it is possible that HISs’ implementation will not always be online. HIS security risks include medical staff members directly disclosing patient information to their families. Therefore, this study focuses on information security behavior. We investigated the research trends and antecedent factors of information security behavior in the healthcare context involving various types of HIS users in healthcare organizations, including clinical staff, non-clinical staff, and patients. Specifically, we asked the following research question: “What are the research trends and antecedent factors of information security behavior in health information systems from organizational and individual perspectives?”

To answer this research question, we adopted a systematic literature review methodology. To conduct and report our review, we used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement [ 53 ]. PRISMA emphasizes methods through which researchers may guarantee the transparent and thorough reporting of systematic reviews [ 54 ]. PRISMA 2020 updates the PRISMA 2009 statement, which includes 27-item checklists, a flow diagram, and an explanation [ 53 ]. The choice of a systematic review will provide us the opportunity to inquire into present trends in the emphasis placed on security behavior, security threats, and the variables that affect how users behave while protecting health information.

This study is expected to have theoretical and practical implications. First, this study provides a systematic overview for researchers of antecedent factors of information security behavior, specifically in healthcare organizations. Second, this study determines the organizational and individual elements mapped to USB and DSB from HIS users. These findings can provide insight to managers in healthcare organizations to help them design information security policies and programs to prevent information security breaches, especially for internal threats. Third, this study can provide lessons for regulators to develop information security regulations in the healthcare industry—especially for information security governance and culture.

2. Materials and Methods

This study adopted the PRISMA 2020 framework ( Table S1: PRISMA 2020 Checklist ) [ 53 ]. PRISMA has been used in previous studies in the field of information systems primarily related to health services, such as user acceptance of hospital information systems [ 55 ], security and privacy in electronic health records [ 38 , 39 ], and information security culture in general [ 44 ]. This shows that information system studies can also use PRISMA in the context of health and information security.

2.1. Eligibility Criteria

We determined four inclusion criteria (IC) for this study, as follows: (IC1) original scientific articles, including research articles, conference papers, and systematic reviews; (IC2) full-text articles available and written in English; (IC3) the research examines factors that influence information security behavior; (IC4) the research investigates health information protection in healthcare organizations. For removing irrelevant studies, the following exclusion criteria (EC) were applied: (EC1) articles duplicated in another repository; (EC2) articles that report on information security behavior from multisector organizations—not specifically in the healthcare sector; (EC3) studies that evaluate information security behavior without uncovering any antecedent factors; (EC4) studies that explore HIS security in organizations other than healthcare organizations.

2.2. Search Strategy

The second step was determining the sources of information, keywords, and journal repositories. The keywords used reflected three categories: terms related to information security, behavior, and health organizations. The keywords used in searching the repositories were as follows: (“information security” OR “cybersecurity”) AND (“behavior” OR “awareness” OR “compliance” OR “practice”) AND (“hospital” OR “clinic” OR “health”). Five journal repositories were used as sources of information: ScienceDirect, PubMed, SAGE, IEEE, and Scopus. We applied a filter for publication type to retrieve only journal articles and conference papers. To explore all possible studies, there was no publication time limit. The search process was carried out in February 2022 and focused on five databases: ScienceDirect, Medline/PubMed, SAGE, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus. We exported all of the search results into BibTeX or RIS files. We imported those files into Mendeley as a reference tool to check for duplicates and conduct further analysis.

2.3. Data Items and Synthesis

The next step was to analyze some attributes of the articles collected—namely, the author names, publication year, source type, name of the journal or conference, country of study or author affiliation, research methods, sample unit (i.e., respondent), healthcare organization type, variables used in the research model, and foundational theory. The selected studies focus on factors that influence the information security behavior of HIS users who have access to patients’ health data in healthcare organizations. Articles discussing information security behavior in organizations in general but covering the health industry were excluded. After reducing the duplicate results from the repositories, we screened the reports by examining their titles and abstracts. Furthermore, the examination was carried out by searching for full-text articles of some candidates and assessing whether the articles met the inclusion criteria. If a paper met the criteria, it was added to the selected studies. The results of the selected studies are summarized in a table ( Table S2: Summary of selected studies ).

3.1. Study Selection

The search results from the specified databases returned 5573 studies with the defined keywords. Duplicate records were removed, resulting in 4677 records being screened in the next step. The title and abstract screening resulted in the exclusion of 4496 records with no mention of information security behavior in healthcare. Consequently, 181 articles were sought for retrieval, but 28 reports did not meet IC2 (no access to full text and not written in English). Next, 153 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility; 83 papers did not meet IC3 (no focus on factors influencing information security behavior), and 35 papers did not meet IC4. Performing the final step of the review resulted in 35 studies. Figure 1 shows the complete steps of the PRISMA workflow carried out in this study.

PRISMA workflow diagram (IC = Inclusion Criteria).

3.2. Study Characteristics

Figure 2 shows trends in research on information security behavior in healthcare from 2008 to 2021. We identified the first study published in 2008. One selected study in 2022 was excluded due to a lack of data to represent the year (until February 2022). The study trend increased significantly in 2020 (seven studies), which might have been a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Healthcare providers had to change how to provide services to patients by adopting various technological solutions, which increased their vulnerability to cyberattacks [ 56 ]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the most common cyberattacks in the health sector were ransomware and phishing attacks caused by human factors and a lack of security awareness [ 56 ]. The number of studies has doubled since 2020, but only two of the studies reviewed [ 57 , 58 ] mention COVID-19 in their discussion. The number of studies decreased slightly in 2021 (five studies) but was still higher than in previous years. Figure 2 shows the summary of selected studies for further analysis. The detailed list of selected studies is available in the Supplementary Materials (Table S2: Summary of selected studies) .

Research trends.

Of the 35 studies included in this review, we analyzed the distribution according to the countries where the studies took their samples or were conducted. Table 1 shows that developed countries dominate the studies related to information security behavior in healthcare organizations. Most of the studies involved respondents or participants from the United States (11 studies), Taiwan (five studies), the Republic of Korea (four studies), Germany (four studies), Malaysia (two studies), Saudi Arabia (two studies), Norway (one study), and Spain (one study). One study took samples from Ireland, Italy, and Greece. There were only four studies from developing countries: South Africa (two studies), India (one study), and Indonesia (one study). The categories of developed and developing countries used in this study refer to their gross national income per capita per year as calculated by the World Bank Atlas [ 59 ].

Countries involved in the selected studies.

Regarding the organization type, most studies were conducted in hospitals. Table 2 shows that 23 studies examined information security behavior in hospitals only. Five studies involved hospitals and other healthcare providers, such as private clinics, physical therapy facilities, mental healthcare facilities, nursing homes, public health centers, and physicians’ offices. Two investigated nursing schools, and two investigated academic medical centers. In the remaining three studies, the type of healthcare organization was not specified.

Types of organizations involved in the selected studies.

Table 3 shows the study characteristics according to the respondents or participants. Most of the studies involved clinical staff (25 studies), such as doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and nutritionists. Twenty-one studies involved non-clinical staff as respondents, such as administration staff, information technology (IT) staff, human resources experts, privacy officers, top-level management, and psychologists. In addition to the permanent staff of healthcare organizations, five studies investigated the information security behavior of temporary staff, such as medical students and interns. A single study took patients as respondents to measure their behavior in protecting personal information managed by medical facilities.

Respondents involved in the selected studies.

The research methods ( Table 4 ) were primarily quantitative, surveying respondents through questionnaires (27 studies). Some studies complemented their surveys with experiments to observe actual behavior. Seven studies used qualitative methods—both empirical (i.e., interview) and analytical (i.e., literature review and conceptual models). Meanwhile, two other studies used mixed methods (i.e., survey and interview).

Research methods of the selected studies.

Table 5 shows where the selected studies were published. Most of the selected studies were journal articles (25 studies). Three sources contained more than one selected study. Meanwhile, nine studies were published in conference proceedings, with two of these sources containing more than one selected study.

Source of the selected studies.

Table 6 defines 20 distinct theories adopted as foundational in the selected studies. Most studies used a combination of two or more theories. The theories used in multiple studies were the theory of planned behavior (TPB; 10 studies), general deterrence theory (GDT; nine studies), protection motivation theory (PMT; eight studies), health belief model (HBM; five studies), and theory acceptance model (TAM; four studies). The TPB explains that social pressure and cognitive thinking influence individual behavior [ 86 ]. GDT describes how security behavior is influenced by deterrence beliefs and fears [ 87 ]. PMT is involved in the development of the HBM, which explains how individuals carry out a cognitive evaluation to determine appropriate behavior based on the ability to deal with threats [ 88 , 89 ]. The TAM provides a model of how people come to acknowledge and utilize technology [ 90 ]. However, the TPB was only adopted in studies related to DSB, while other frequent theories were adopted in both DSB and USB research.

Foundational theories in the selected studies.

Table 7 depicts the variance in the types of information security behavior examined in the selected studies. DSB was the most observed behavior (25 studies), with behavioral concerns with respect to compliance with information security policy and regulations (17 studies) or performing security protection according to best practices (eight studies). USB was examined in seven studies, with concerns including risky security practices (four studies) and information security policy violations (three studies). Meanwhile, three studies investigated security behavior with respect to both secure and insecure practices among HIS users.

Security behaviors investigated in the selected studies.

3.3. Security Threat Model

A healthcare facility bases its information security policy on the security risk profile of the organization. The risk can be determined from security threats that may occur in the organization or refer to similar organizations as benchmarks. Previous studies [ 91 ] revealed that the most critical security threat in an HIS is a power failure, followed by human error and technological failures. Other studies [ 32 , 92 ] identified that most security threats were related to human behavior, such as password sharing, missing records, email misrouting, theft on the premises, procedures not followed, and the establishment of improper HIS privileges.

The selected studies also mention some threats and vulnerabilities to be addressed by improving information security protection by modifying the healthcare staff’s behavior. Since this systematic review focuses on the information security behavior of HIS users, most of the selected studies only show possible threats posed by insiders. We modeled the threat from selected studies by referring to [ 93 ] in breaking down the threat action, health information assets, vulnerabilities, and potential control actions. Threat action and control were classified based on ISO 27799:2016 [ 14 ] as the information security standard for health information. Figure 3 depicts various types of threats to health information, especially with insiders as the source. The number in the bar shows the number of selected studies mentioning the threat.

Threat actions were discussed in the selected studies.

Here, we discuss the top three security threat actions discussed in the selected studies. The greatest security threat is the unauthorized use of the HIS (11 studies). This threat can lead to incident events because of vulnerabilities in the healthcare facilities—for example, lack of security awareness and policy compliance [ 11 , 50 , 58 , 70 , 81 , 82 ], use of multiple entry points to access electronic medical records [ 49 , 65 ] and forgetting to log out after using the HIS at an unattended workstation [ 85 ]. The second-greatest threat is masquerading by insiders, such as staff accessing the HIS without using their own account (seven studies). The vulnerabilities that can be exploited by this threat are weak information security policy compliance [ 57 , 81 ], weak access control management [ 67 , 83 , 84 , 85 ], and sharing of workstations to access the HIS [ 25 ]. The third-greatest threat is user error in handling information (six studies). This threat can be triggered by the weakness of information security policy compliance [ 57 , 74 ], ignorance of the risk involved [ 11 ], poor security skills and security monitoring [ 1 ], low user education, and lack of awareness of information security [ 50 , 75 ].

There are some actions that cannot be classified into threat types according to ISO 27799:2016 Annex A [ 14 ]. An example would be a nurse intentionally disclosing a patient’s health information to their family [ 64 , 77 , 79 ] with the assumption that this would make the medical treatment more efficient and benefit the healthcare facility. Meanwhile, an operation error in ISO 27799:2016 [ 14 ] refers to the unintentional disclosure of confidential information. Some selected studies [ 26 , 51 , 61 , 66 , 72 , 76 ] do not mention the threat action specifically but only describe a violation of the information security policy or regulation and health information leakage in a healthcare organization.

3.4. Antecedent Factors of Security Behavior

Antecedent factors were gathered from research variables that were proven to be significant in empirical studies included in this review. Of the 35 selected studies, four were conceptual studies and, thus, were excluded from the analysis. There were 59 different variables as antecedent factors that significantly influence information security behavior directly and indirectly. The number of variables shows enormous variation in information security behavior research in healthcare. The variables are also related to the various foundational theories in the selected studies. Some factors are derived from frequent foundational theories, i.e., the TPB, PMT, GDT, and HBM. This shows that information security behavior studies are likely to use approaches from psychology (TPB and PMT), criminology (GDT), and public health (HBM) [ 94 ].

Meanwhile, factors adopted from the information system domain (TAM) are mostly insignificant in influencing security behavior. These variables were grouped into individual and organizational factors and then mapped into two types of security behavior. Human factors in cybersecurity are better viewed from various perspectives. Some previous studies [ 51 , 61 ] agree that employee security behavior can be influenced by two types of factors—namely, organizational factors and individual factors.

3.4.1. Individual Factors

Individual or personal factors investigate the individual reasoning and decision-making behind security behavior [ 95 ]. This study identified 31 distinct individual factors ( Table 8 ) from the selected studies that empirically influence information security behavior. Fifteen factors appear in multiple studies. Four of them influence DSB and USB, examined in different studies.

Individual factors as antecedents of security behavior.

Notes: DSB = desirable security behavior (such as compliance behavior, protection behavior, etc.); USB = undesirable security behavior (such as risk-taking behavior, non-compliance, etc.); N/A = not applicable (no selected studies using the factor); CS = clinical staff; NS = non-clinical staff; MS = medical student.

The most frequent individual factor in the selected studies was self-efficacy (12 studies) derived from PMT. Almost half of the desirable security behavior studies observed that self-efficacy positively and significantly influences information security behavior directly [ 1 , 23 , 51 , 57 , 61 , 72 , 74 , 75 ] and indirectly [ 62 , 63 , 70 ], through other variables (e.g., perceived behavioral control and avoidance motivation). The other most frequent factors were perceived severity (10 studies) and perceived susceptibility (4 studies). Perceived severity positively influences security compliance behavior [ 65 , 71 , 74 , 75 , 81 ] and assurance behavior [ 62 , 63 ] or negatively influences damaging behavior [ 76 ]. Perceived susceptibility also positively influences compliance behavior [ 65 , 71 , 74 ] and assurance behavior [ 63 , 76 ]. Perceived susceptibility in some studies is called perceived vulnerability [ 71 , 76 , 78 ]. According to PMT and the HBM, these factors are components of threat appraisal, which explains people’s assessment of a security threat or risk that they will manage [ 96 ]. Some selected studies used the terms perceived threat [ 63 ] and perceived risk [ 65 ] to reflect healthcare staff’s perceptions of the security threat or risk according to their perceived severity and susceptibility, which then significantly influence their further security behavior intentions.

Perceived benefit (six studies) and perceived barriers (three studies) are also adopted from HBM constructs. A previous study [ 71 ] that adopted PMT used different terms to reflect perceived benefits and perceived barriers: response efficacy and response cost, respectively. Other words with similar meanings to perceived benefit and perceived barriers are safeguard effectiveness [ 63 ] and safeguard cost [ 63 , 65 ], respectively. Different studies [ 70 , 81 ] that adopted the TAM used the perceived usefulness construct but adopted a similar definition of perceived benefit in the context of security behavior.

The TPB, as the dominant foundational theory in the selected studies, also contributes to frequent factors—namely, attitudes (seven studies), subjective norms (seven studies), and perceived behavioral control (four studies). Attitude is commonly used as a mediating variable to predict health staff’s DSB based on individual and organizational factors. Perceived trust is frequently related to behavioral intentions in TPB studies [ 1 , 51 , 61 , 74 ].

Security awareness (seven studies) is adopted from the variable GDT [ 87 ] as a factor that deters people from engaging in undesirable behavior. Some studies used the general term information security awareness as a research variable [ 57 , 58 , 62 , 67 ], while others used health information security awareness, consisting of general and health-related issues, regulations, and relevant consequences [ 64 , 77 ].

Perceived responsibility (two studies) and personal norms (two studies) are individual factors that appeared more than once in studies related to DSB and USB. Perceived responsibility emphasizes that it is one’s job to achieve professional goals [ 79 ]. Meanwhile, personal norms define health staff’s values, such as perceiving an information security policy violation as inappropriate and unacceptable [ 58 ]. This value negatively influences the intention to disclose information [ 77 ] and positively influences attitudes toward information security policy compliance [ 58 ].

In examining HIS users who participated in the selected studies, we found that individual factors from patients have not yet been explored. One study that took patients as participants [ 69 ] only investigated organizational factors (i.e., data collection processes, secondary use, and system error) that can influence their security behavior. There are three factors that significantly influence information security behavior among both clinical and non-clinical staff of healthcare organizations and medical students: perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, and information security awareness. The other individual factors significantly influence one or two user types. Therefore, those factors can be explored in future research.

3.4.2. Organizational Factors

Organizational factors investigate organizational issues—such as procedures, programs, work environment, and security culture—that can influence employees’ security behavior [ 50 ]. There were 26 distinct organizational factors ( Table 9 ) that empirically affect information security behaviors in the selected studies. Six factors were identified in more than one study; three appeared in both USB and DSB studies. Fourteen factors were only examined in DSB studies, while seven were examined only in USB studies.

Organizational factors as antecedents of security behavior.

Notes: DSB = desirable security behavior (such as compliance behavior, protection behavior, etc.); USB = undesirable security behavior (such as risk-taking behavior, non-compliance, etc.); N/A = not applicable (no selected studies using the factor); HS = hospital; AHF = academic healthcare facilities; NHF = non-specific healthcare facilities (e.g., clinics, health centers, etc.).

The most frequent organizational factor was management/organizational support (four studies). Previous studies [ 1 , 26 , 61 , 74 ] found that management support indirectly influences users’ behavior through various individual factors, such as perceived benefit, severity, self-efficacy, and trust. Management support can be measured through information security policy implementation, security training, and leadership from the top-level management [ 74 ].

Cues to action (three studies) are derived from the HBM construct. In selected studies [ 62 , 72 , 75 ], cues to action had a positive and significant influence on security behavior intention—mainly for security protection and compliance. None of the selected studies examined the effects of cues to action on the desire to commit a security violation or human error. A survey by Kessler et al. [ 66 ] measured organizational culture through practice, importance, and laxness, while Dong et al. [ 58 ] examined organizational culture in terms of top-level management beliefs and organizational control of information security issues.

The following factors appeared in two studies: Perceived certainty is derived from GDT, which can examine different acts or processes, such as detection [ 80 ] and punishment [ 73 ]. Two selected studies evaluated the impacts of peer influence and superior influence on different types of security behavior: protection intention [ 70 ] and non-compliance intention [ 82 ]. Both studies revealed that peer and superior influences significantly affect security behavior intentions through individual factors as mediating variables, such as subjective norms [ 70 ] and neutralization techniques [ 82 ].

Importantly, most of the selected studies took place in hospitals, and organizational factors mostly influence security behavior in a hospital context. Management support is the only factor that impacts all types of healthcare organizations. These results support the findings of previous studies [ 1 , 26 , 61 , 74 ], illustrating that support from management—such as information security policymaking—is the most important thing for all types of health organizations. However, in the selected studies, management support to deter undesirable security behavior was not investigated.

4. Discussion

Studies on information security behavior in healthcare organizations are still dominated by investigations into why people intend to comply with an organization’s information security policy or health security regulation, such as HIPAA. The most frequently adopted theory is the TPB, but the most frequent significant factors are derived from PMT as an improvement from the HBM. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as the constructs of the TPB were only investigated in DSB studies and were mostly combined with other theories, such as PMT and GDT. It is possible to explain human errors and violations by examining the staff’s attitudes toward information security behaviors [ 95 ]. However, the attitude was not a research variable in the selected studies related to USB.

The results empirically reveal that more individual (32 factors) than organizational (26 factors) aspects significantly affect information security behavior in the healthcare context. Those factors might positively (i.e., promoting) or negatively (i.e., preventing) affect the related behavior. This is consistent with the most frequently adopted foundational theories, the TPB and PMT, which focus on individual aspects of behavior. Although only two selected studies [ 50 , 82 ] explicitly segregated individual and organizational factors, many (16 studies) also examined both factors. Ten studies only used individual factors, while four studies only used organizational factors as significant antecedents to predict users’ security behavior. Hence, organizational aspects remain underexplored in this research field. However, most studies indicated that organizational factors significantly impact security behavior, mediated by individual factors.

Self-efficacy is the most significant individual factor that is only important in influencing DSB. A USB study [ 64 ] and a combined USB–DSB study [ 76 ] examined this factor. However, self-efficacy was not significant in predicting insecure behavior, such as the intention to disclose information and violate security controls. The other frequent individual factors were from PMT and the HBM: perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefit, and perceived barriers. Perceived severity and perceived susceptibility can be influenced by the security awareness of healthcare staff [ 76 ], which reflects their knowledge and understanding of potential security issues and their consequences—both general and health-information-specific [ 77 ]. Together with perceived benefits and perceived barriers, self-efficacy compiles a construct known as coping appraisal, which affects information security intention [ 78 ]. Many studies measured the benefits of security protection using various terms, including perceived benefit, perceived usefulness, and response efficacy. Although they used different names for the variables in different contexts, they referred to the same definitions.

Management support, as the most significant organizational factor, is derived from GDT’s constructs. None of the selected studies examined management support as an antecedent factor of USB. Management support, such as providing security training to improve staff’s security awareness, can also influence self-efficacy [ 1 , 64 , 74 , 76 ]. Therefore, security managers in healthcare organizations can design some security policies and programs that facilitate the staff’s adoption of security practices and increase their confidence. Strengthening employee self-efficacy may increase the likelihood of effective security compliance. The next most significant organizational factor was cues to action from the HBM. The selected empirical studies showed that health staff’s security behavior could be predicted directly by cues to action, such as security campaigns and the influence of peers and superiors, which can promote security protections and compliance.

Some studies used demographic characteristics as differentiating factors, such as gender [ 66 , 72 , 80 , 81 ], age [ 25 , 66 ], occupation type [ 25 , 61 , 66 ], organization type [ 61 , 81 ], education [ 25 ], working duration [ 74 , 78 , 80 ]. However, these demographic differences were only found in DSB studies. Organizational and occupational characteristics can influence the self-efficacy of healthcare professionals in complying with privacy and security rules due to their different work environments [ 61 ]. Figure 4 depicts a summary of the antecedent factors of security behavior based on the selected studies.

Antecedent factors of information security behavior in healthcare organizations.

The theoretical contributions of our research complement prior studies by adding and mapping previous inquiries to understand related factors, actors, providers, and behavior types. A systematic literature review by Yeng et al. [ 49 ] examined psychological, social, and cultural aspects of information security behavior. The study did not define individual and organizational factors as predictors of information security behavior. Moreover, the study only investigated general healthcare professionals’ perspectives as HIS users without including patients and other stakeholders among the healthcare providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven healthcare facilities to develop digital health approaches, such as telehealth, mobile health applications, and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). These initiatives can accelerate the exchange of health information by empowering patients to manage and share their medical information with various healthcare organizations. Patient-centered information exchange also requires the patient to play an active role in information security and privacy protection [ 97 ]. A previous study [ 69 ] investigating patient behavior did not examine individual factors.

The practical implications of our research provide lessons for decision-makers in healthcare organizations and governments to encourage the expected security behavior. The most frequent information security hazards in healthcare organizations are improper usage, insider impersonation, and human error when handling information. By considering specific elements such as self-efficacy, perceived severity, and information security knowledge, healthcare organizations may build security policies to reduce the occurrence and effects of these risks. For instance, educating users about the threats to information security and enhancing their technical skills to defend information security are only two examples of how to do this. For information security protection to be successful, it is also necessary to enhance organizational factors that can promote information security behavior, such as support and commitment from top-level management, peer and superior influence, and a positive corporate culture.

A limitation of this review is that we only analyzed the empirical studies to define significant antecedent factors and classify them as an individual or organizational factors. The most frequent factors were measured not by their appearance as research variables in the selected studies but by how many studies identified those factors as predictors of security behavior. Since the research methods of the empirical studies varied, this review could not determine the influence of each factor on the dependent variables. Therefore, the most frequent factors do not necessarily represent the most significant factors in evaluating health staff’s information security behavior. Previous studies revealed no established general model for information security behavior in healthcare. This study does not propose a specific model but, rather, shows the research gap for further investigation. Further research is necessary to learn more about the influencing factors among user groups in various healthcare organizations. Patients should be involved as research objects to determine how healthcare facilities should involve them in controlling information security.

5. Conclusions

Healthcare providers other than hospitals are understudied. Studies related to both DSB and USB show that the factors preventing protection can differ from those that promote information security violations. Therefore, future studies should investigate both types of security behavior. The development of technological solutions used by health facilities since the COVID-19 outbreak, such as telemedicine and mobile health applications, has expanded HIS coverage. Protecting health information security relies on healthcare professionals and patients participating in managing their data. Information security risks come not only from internal users at the healthcare provider but also from external users who have access rights to the system. Therefore, studies on information security behavior in healthcare organizations need to understand the patient’s perspective, which is still rarely studied.

Supplementary Materials

The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/healthcare10122531/s1 , Table S1: PRISMA 2020 Checklist; Table S2: Summary of selected studies.

Funding Statement

This research and APC were funded by the Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education under Hibah Penelitian Dasar Unggulan Perguruan Tinggi (PDUPT), grant number NKB-788/UN2.RST/HKP.05.00/2022.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, P.K.S. and P.W.H.; methodology, P.K.S.; software, R.F.A.; validation, P.W.H., A.N.H. and S.Y.; formal analysis, P.K.S.; investigation, P.K.S.; resources, P.K.S.; data curation, P.K.S. and P.W.H.; writing—original draft preparation, P.K.S.; writing—review and editing, P.W.H. and S.Y.; visualization, P.K.S.; supervision, A.N.H.; project administration, R.F.A.; funding acquisition, P.W.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Information Security:A Review of Information Security Issues and Techniques

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75 Cyber Security Research Topics in 2024

Introduction to Cybersecurity Research

Cybersecurity research aims to protect computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorised access, theft, or damage. It involves studying and developing methods and techniques to identify, understand, and mitigate cyber threats and vulnerabilities. 

The field can be divided into theoretical and applied research and faces challenges such as

• Increasing complexity 
• New forms of malware 
• The growing sophistication of cyber attacks

On a daily basis, approximately 2,200 cyber attacks occur, with an average of one cyber attack happening every 39 seconds. This is the reason why researchers must stay up-to-date and collaborate with others in the field. 

In this article, let’s discuss the different cybersecurity research topics and how they will help you become an expert in the field.

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Here are some of the latest research topics in cyber security – 

Emerging Cyber Threats and Vulnerabilities in 2024

Continual technological advancements lead to changes in cybersecurity trends, with data breaches, ransomware, and hacks becoming more prevalent. 

• Cyber Attacks and Their Countermeasures – Discuss – This research paper will discuss various cyber attacks and their corresponding countermeasures. It aims to provide insights on how organisations can better protect themselves from cyber threats.
• Is Cryptography Necessary for Cybersecurity Applications? – Explore the role of cryptography in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and information in cybersecurity. It would examine the various cryptographic techniques used in cybersecurity and their effectiveness in protecting against cyber threats.

Here are some other cyber security topics that you may consider – 

• Discuss the Application of Cyber Security for Cloud-based Applications 
• Data Analytics Tools in Cybersecurity
• Malware Analysis
• What Are the Behavioural Aspects of Cyber Security? 
• Role of Cyber Security on Intelligent Transporation Systems
• How to Stop and Spot Different Types of Malware?

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Machine Learning and AI in Cybersecurity Research

Machine learning and AI are research topics in cybersecurity, aiming to develop algorithms for threat detection, enhance intelligence and automate risk mitigation. However, security risks like adversarial attacks require attention.

• Using AI/ML to Analyse Cyber Threats – This cyber security research paper analyses cyber threats and could include an overview of the current state of cyber threats and how AI/ML can help with threat detection and response. The paper could also discuss the challenges and limitations of using AI/ML in cybersecurity and potential areas for further research.

Here are some other topics to consider – 

• Developing Cognitive Systems for Cyber Threat Detection and Response
• Developing Distributed Ai Systems to Enhance Cybersecurity
• Developing Deep Learning Architectures for Cyber Defence
• Exploring the Use of Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience in Enhancing Security and Privacy
• How is Cyber Security Relevant for Everyone? Discuss
• Discuss the Importance of Network Traffic Analysis
• How to Build an App to Break Ceasar Cipher

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IoT Security and Privacy

IoT security and privacy research aim to develop secure and privacy-preserving architectures, protocols, and algorithms for IoT devices, including encryption, access control, and secure communication. The challenge is to balance security with usability while addressing the risk of cyber-attacks and compromised privacy.

• Service Orchestration and Routing for IoT – It may focus on developing efficient and secure methods for managing and routing traffic between IoT devices and services. The paper may explore different approaches for optimising service orchestration. 
• Efficient Resource Management, Energy Harvesting, and Power Consumption in IoT – This paper may focus on developing strategies to improve energy use efficiency in IoT devices. This may involve investigating the use of energy harvesting technologies, optimising resource allocation and management, and exploring methods to reduce power consumption.

Here are some other cyber security project topics to consider – 

• Computation and Communication Gateways for IoT
• The Miniaturisation of Sensors, Cpus, and Networks in IoT
• Big Data Analytics in IoT
• Semantic Technologies in IoT
• Virtualisation in IoT
• Privacy, Security, Trust, Identity, and Anonymity in IoT
• Heterogeneity, Dynamics, and Scale in IoT
• Consequences of Leaving Unlocked Devices Unattended

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Blockchain security: research challenges and opportunities.

Blockchain security research aims to develop secure and decentralised architectures, consensus algorithms, and privacy-preserving techniques while addressing challenges such as smart contract security and consensus manipulation. Opportunities include transparent supply chain management and decentralised identity management.

• Advanced Cryptographic Technologies in the Blockchain – Explore the latest advancements and emerging trends in cryptographic techniques used in blockchain-based systems. It could also analyse the security and privacy implications of these technologies and discuss their potential impact. 
• Applications of Smart Contracts in Blockchain – Explore the various use cases and potential benefits of using smart contracts to automate and secure business processes. It could also examine the challenges and limitations of smart contracts and propose potential solutions for these issues.

Here are some other topics – 

• Ensuring Data Consistency, Transparency, and Privacy in the Blockchain
• Emerging Blockchain Models for Digital Currencies
• Blockchain for Advanced Information Governance Models
• The Role of Blockchain in Future Wireless Mobile Networks
• Law and Regulation Issues in the Blockchain
• Transaction Processing and Modification in the Blockchain
• Collaboration of Big Data With Blockchain Networks

Cloud Security: Trends and Innovations in Research

Cloud security research aims to develop innovative techniques and technologies for securing cloud computing environments, including threat detection with AI, SECaaS, encryption and access control, secure backup and disaster recovery, container security, and blockchain-based solutions. The goal is to ensure the security, privacy, and integrity of cloud-based data and applications for organisations.

• Posture Management in Cloud Security – Discuss the importance of identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in cloud-based systems and strategies for maintaining a secure posture over time. This could include topics such as threat modelling, risk assessment, access control, and continuous monitoring.
• Are Cloud Services 100% Secure?
• What is the Importance of Cloud Security?
• Cloud Security Service to Identify Unauthorised User Behaviour
• Preventing Theft-of-service Attacks and Ensuring Cloud Security on Virtual Machines
• Security Requirements for Cloud Computing
• Privacy and Security of Cloud Computing

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Cybercrime investigations and forensics.

Cybercrime investigations and forensics involve analysing digital evidence to identify and prosecute cybercriminals, including developing new data recovery, analysis, and preservation techniques. Research also focuses on identifying cybercriminals and improving legal and regulatory frameworks for prosecuting cybercrime.

• Black Hat and White Hat Hacking: Comparison and Contrast – Explore the similarities and differences between these two approaches to hacking. It would examine the motivations and methods of both types of hackers and their impact on cybersecurity.
• Legal Requirements for Computer Forensics Laboratories
• Wireless Hacking Techniques: Emerging Technologies and Mitigation Strategies
• Cyber Crime: Current Issues and Threats
• Computer Forensics in Law Enforcement: Importance and Challenges
• Basic Procedures for Computer Forensics and Investigations
• Digital Forensic Examination of Counterfeit Documents: Techniques and Tools
• Cybersecurity and Cybercrime: Understanding the Nature and Scope

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Cybersecurity Policy and Regulations

Cybersecurity policy and regulations research aims to develop laws, regulations, and guidelines to ensure the security and privacy of digital systems and data, including addressing gaps in existing policies, promoting international cooperation, and developing standards and best practices for cybersecurity. The goal is to protect digital systems and data while promoting innovation and growth in the digital economy.

• The Ethicality of Government Access to Citizens’ Data – Explore the ethical considerations surrounding government access to citizens’ data for surveillance and security purposes, analysing the potential risks and benefits and the legal and social implications of such access. 
• The Moral Permissibility of Using Music Streaming Services – Explore the ethical implications of using music streaming services, examining issues such as intellectual property rights, artist compensation, and the environmental impact of streaming. 
• Real Name Requirements on Internet Forums
• Restrictions to Prevent Domain Speculation
• Regulating Adult Content Visibility on the Internet
• Justification for Illegal Downloading
• Adapting Law Enforcement to Online Technologies
• Balancing Data Privacy With Convenience and Centralisation
• Understanding the Nature and Dangers of Cyber Terrorism

Human Factors in Cybersecurity

Human factors in cybersecurity research study how human behaviour impacts cybersecurity, including designing interfaces, developing security training, addressing user error and negligence, and examining cybersecurity’s social and cultural aspects. The goal is to improve security by mitigating human-related security risks.

• Review the Human Factors in Cybersecurity –  It explores various human factors such as awareness, behaviour, training, and culture and their influence on cybersecurity, offering insights and recommendations for improving cybersecurity outcomes.
• Integrating Human Factors in Cybersecurity for Better Risk Management
• Address the Human Factors in Cybersecurity Leadership
• Human Factors in IoT Security
• Internal Vulnerabilities: the Human Factor in It Security
• Cyber Security Human Factors – the Ultimate List of Statistics and Data

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Cybersecurity education and awareness.

Cybersecurity education and awareness aims to educate individuals and organisations about potential cybersecurity threats and best practices to prevent cyber attacks. It involves promoting safe online behaviour, training on cybersecurity protocols, and raising awareness about emerging cyber threats.

• Identifying Phishing Attacks – This research paper explores various techniques and tools to identify and prevent phishing attacks, which are common types of cyber attacks that rely on social engineering tactics to trick victims into divulging sensitive information or installing malware on their devices.
• Risks of Password Reuse for Personal and Professional Accounts – Investigate the risks associated with reusing the same password across different personal and professional accounts, such as the possibility of credential stuffing attacks and the impact of compromised accounts on organisational security. 
• Effective Defence Against Ransomware
• Information Access Management: Privilege and Need-to-know Access
• Protecting Sensitive Data on Removable Media
• Recognising Social Engineering Attacks
• Preventing Unauthorised Access to Secure Areas: Detecting Piggybacking and Tailgating
• E-mail Attack and Its Characteristics
• Safe Wifi Practice: Understanding VPN

With the increasing use of digital systems and networks, avoiding potential cyber-attacks is more important than ever. The 75 research topics outlined in this list offer a glimpse into the different dimensions of this important field. By focusing on these areas, researchers can make significant contributions to enhancing the security and safety of individuals, organisations, and society as a whole.

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The program also includes hands-on projects and case studies to ensure students have practical experience in applying these concepts. Graduates will be well-equipped to take on challenging roles in the rapidly growing field of cyber security.

Pavan Vadapalli

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has proved to be an effective tool in cyber defence. AI is anticipated to gain even more prominence in 2024, mainly in monitoring, resource and threat analysis, and quick response capabilities.

One area of focus is the development of secure quantum and space communications to address the increasing use of quantum technologies and space travel. Another area of research is improving data privacy.

The approach to cybersecurity is expected to change from defending against attacks to acknowledging and managing ongoing cyber risks. The focus will be on improving resilience and recovering from potential cyber incidents.

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• Education & Training
• NICCS Education & Training Catalog
• University Of Fairfax

Research Topics in Information Security

• Online, Instructor-Led

In this integrative course, students assess the information security risk associated with an identified management problem. Students then develop a risk mitigation strategy which integrates principles and techniques of risk analysis, project planning, and change management.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, the student should know or be able to:

• To assess the level of risk in an organization with respect to an identified Information Security management problem.
• To formulate a strategy to mitigate the identified Information Security risk, while limiting liability exposure.
• To evaluate the defined strategy to ensure that it either reduces, mitigates, or transfers risk, or results in an acceptable residual risk.
• To develop a project plan for implementing the chosen strategy that addresses resources, schedules, and organizational change management requirements

Framework Connections

• Collect and Operate
• Oversee and Govern
• Protect and Defend
• Securely Provision

Security Management Research Paper Topics

Security management research paper topics are a critical area of study for management students looking to explore the complex world of safeguarding organizational assets. Security management covers various facets, including information security, physical security, risk management, compliance, and more. The study of security management is increasingly relevant in our technology-driven world. Research within this field equips students with the knowledge to protect an organization’s information and physical resources, and the skills to respond to rapidly evolving security threats. This page provides a comprehensive list of research topics to assist students in selecting a subject that aligns with their interests and the current industry demands. The following sections will provide an in-depth look into various security management research topics, organized into ten categories with ten subjects each. Additionally, this page will offer insights into how to choose and write about these topics, along with an overview of iResearchNet’s customized writing services for those who seek professional assistance.

100 Security Management Research Paper Topics

The field of security management is as vast as it is vital in today’s global landscape. From protecting information systems to ensuring the physical safety of assets, security management plays a central role in the smooth operation of organizations across various sectors. As we dive into this comprehensive list of security management research paper topics, students will find a plethora of subjects that are both challenging and relevant. The topics are divided into ten distinct categories, each focusing on a different aspect of security management.

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• Role of Encryption in Data Protection
• Security Protocols in Wireless Networks
• Cloud Security Management Strategies
• Biometric Security Measures
• Ethical Hacking and Defense Strategies
• Security Risks in Internet of Things (IoT)
• Mobile Application Security
• Compliance with GDPR and Other Regulations
• Social Engineering Attacks and Prevention
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and Security
• Designing Secure Buildings and Facilities
• Access Control Systems and Technologies
• Surveillance and Monitoring Techniques
• Security Personnel Training and Management
• Risk Assessment for Physical Threats
• Vehicle Security and Fleet Management
• Maritime Security Protocols
• Security Measures for Public Events
• Emergency Response and Evacuation Planning
• Integration of Technology in Physical Security
• Enterprise Risk Management Strategies
• Security Policies and Compliance Auditing
• Regulatory Compliance in Different Industries
• Risk Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Planning
• Cyber Insurance and Risk Transfer
• Security Awareness and Training Programs
• Third-party Vendor Risk Management
• Financial Risk Management in Security Operations
• Implementing ISO Security Standards
• Privacy Policies and Consumer Protection
• Cyber Threat Intelligence and Analysis
• Intrusion Detection Systems and Firewalls
• Secure Software Development Lifecycle
• Incident Response and Crisis Management
• Security Considerations in E-commerce
• Protecting Against Ransomware and Malware
• Security in Social Networking Sites
• Cybersecurity in Critical Infrastructure
• Mobile Device Security in the Workplace
• Privacy vs. Security in Cyber Law
• Role of CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)
• Security Leadership and Governance
• Insider Threat Management and Mitigation
• Security Culture and Employee Behavior
• Contractual and Legal Aspects of Security
• Intellectual Property Protection
• Security Metrics and Performance Indicators
• Outsourcing Security Services
• Security Budgeting and Financial Management
• Integrating Security with Business Strategy
• Terrorism and Counterterrorism Strategies
• Security Intelligence and Law Enforcement
• Border Control and Immigration Security
• Cyber Warfare and State-sponsored Attacks
• Protection of Critical National Infrastructure
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Security Considerations in International Relations
• Humanitarian Security and Crisis Management
• Nuclear Security and Non-proliferation
• Global Maritime Security Issues
• Security in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
• Patient Data Privacy and HIPAA Compliance
• Medical Device and IoT Security
• Emergency Medical Services and Security
• Security Measures for Mental Health Facilities
• Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Security
• Bioterrorism and Public Health Security
• Security Education for Healthcare Professionals
• Medical Records Security and Management
• Telemedicine and Remote Healthcare Security
• Security Considerations in Online Retail
• Fraud Detection and Prevention Strategies
• Payment Security and PCI Compliance
• Inventory Security and Loss Prevention
• Consumer Trust and Brand Protection
• E-commerce Regulations and Compliance
• Security in Omnichannel Retailing
• Secure Customer Experience Design
• Mobile Commerce Security
• Retail Surveillance and Anti-shoplifting Techniques
• Campus Safety and Security Measures
• Cybersecurity Education and Curriculum
• Student Data Privacy and Protection
• Security in Online Learning Platforms
• Intellectual Property Rights in Academia
• Emergency Response Plans for Educational Institutions
• School Transportation Security
• Security Measures for Laboratories and Research Facilities
• Ethical Guidelines in Academic Research
• Security Considerations in International Student Exchange
• Artificial Intelligence in Security
• Quantum Computing and Cryptography
• Security Implications of 5G Technology
• Sustainable and Green Security Practices
• Human Factors in Security Design
• Blockchain for Security Applications
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Security
• Security in Autonomous Vehicles
• Integration of Smart Technologies in Security
• Ethical Considerations in Emerging Security Technologies

Security management is an ever-evolving field, reacting to both technological advancements and global socio-political changes. The above categories and topics encompass a broad spectrum of the security management domain. This comprehensive list is designed to inspire students and guide them towards a research paper that not only interests them but also contributes to the growing body of knowledge in security management. By exploring these topics, students will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of current issues and become part of the ongoing conversation in this vital area of study.

Security Management and the Range of Research Paper Topics

Introduction to security management.

Security management has increasingly become a central concern for organizations, governments, and individuals in our interconnected and technologically driven world. Its primary focus is on safeguarding assets, information, and people by assessing risks and implementing strategies to mitigate potential threats. From the micro-level of individual privacy protection to the macro-level of national security, the concepts and practices within this field permeate almost every aspect of our daily lives. This article delves into the fundamental aspects of security management and explores the extensive range of research paper topics it offers.

Key Principles and Concepts in Security Management

• Risk Assessment and Mitigation: At the core of security management lies the process of identifying, evaluating, and minimizing risks. It involves recognizing potential vulnerabilities, assessing the likelihood of threats, and implementing measures to reduce the potential impact.
• Compliance and Regulation: Security management is also heavily influenced by various laws, regulations, and industry standards. Whether it’s GDPR for data protection or HIPAA for healthcare, compliance with these regulations is essential to avoid legal consequences.
• Physical and Cyber Security: Security management encompasses both the physical and digital realms. Physical security focuses on protecting tangible assets, such as buildings and equipment, while cyber security emphasizes safeguarding digital information.
• Human Factors: People are often considered the weakest link in security. Training, awareness, and a robust security culture are crucial in ensuring that employees and stakeholders understand and adhere to security protocols.
• Technology and Innovation: With the advent of new technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT, security management must continuously evolve to address the unique challenges and opportunities they present.
• Global Perspectives: In a globally connected world, security management must consider international laws, cross-border data flows, and the unique risks associated with different geographical regions.
• Ethics and Social Responsibility: Ethical considerations in security management include respecting individual privacy, transparency in surveillance, and social responsibility in using technology for security purposes.

Range and Depth of Research Paper Topics

Given the complexity and multidimensionality of security management, the range of research paper topics in this field is vast. The following sections provide an insight into the various dimensions that can be explored:

• Information Security Management: Research can focus on encryption, authentication, intrusion detection, or explore the psychological aspects of social engineering attacks.
• Physical Security Management: Topics may include architectural design for security, biometrics, or the balance between security and convenience in access controls.
• Organizational Security Management: This includes leadership and governance in security, insider threats, and the alignment of security strategies with business goals.
• Global and National Security Management: Areas to explore here include counterterrorism strategies, cybersecurity policies among nations, or human rights considerations in security protocols.
• Retail and E-commerce Security Management: From payment security to fraud detection, this area explores the unique challenges in the retail and online shopping environment.
• Emerging Trends in Security Management: This invites research into the future of security management, considering technological advancements, emerging threats, and the ethical implications of new tools and techniques.

Security management is an intricate field that intertwines technological, human, organizational, and societal aspects. It continues to evolve in response to the rapidly changing global landscape marked by technological innovation, geopolitical shifts, and emerging threats. The range of research paper topics in security management reflects this diversity and offers a wealth of opportunities for students to engage with cutting-edge issues.

The ongoing development of this field requires fresh insights, innovative thinking, and a commitment to understanding the underlying principles that govern security management. By delving into any of the areas outlined above, students can contribute to this exciting and ever-changing field. Whether exploring traditional aspects like risk management or venturing into the realms of AI and blockchain, the possibilities for research are as broad and varied as the field itself.

This article provides a foundational understanding of security management and serves as a springboard for further exploration. It’s a gateway to a myriad of research avenues, each offering a unique perspective and challenge, all united by the common goal of enhancing the security and safety of our interconnected world.

How to Choose Security Management Research Paper Topics

Selecting a topic for a research paper in the field of security management is a crucial step that sets the tone for the entire research process. The breadth and depth of this field offer a wide array of possibilities, making the choice both exciting and somewhat daunting. The topic must be relevant, engaging, unique, and, most importantly, aligned with the researcher’s interests and the academic requirements. This section provides a comprehensive guide on how to choose the perfect security management research paper topic, with 10 actionable tips to simplify the process.

• Identify Your Interests: Begin by exploring areas within security management that truly intrigue you. Whether it’s cyber threats, risk management, or physical security measures, your passion for the subject will drive a more engaging research process.
• Understand the Scope: Security management spans across various sectors such as IT, healthcare, retail, and more. Assess the scope of your paper to determine which sector aligns best with your academic needs and professional goals.
• Consider the Relevance: Choose a topic that is pertinent to current trends and challenges in security management. Researching emerging threats or innovative technologies can lead to more compelling findings.
• Assess Available Resources: Ensure that there is enough accessible information and research material on the chosen topic. A topic too obscure might lead to difficulties in finding supporting evidence and data.
• Consult with Your Advisor or Mentor: An experienced academic advisor or mentor can provide valuable insights into the feasibility and potential of various topics, helping you make an informed decision.
• Balance Complexity and Manageability: Selecting a topic that is too broad can be overwhelming, while a narrow topic might lack depth. Striking the right balance ensures that you can comprehensively cover the subject within the stipulated word count and time frame.
• Consider Ethical Implications: Especially in a field like security management, ethical considerations must be at the forefront. Any topic involving human subjects, privacy concerns, or potentially sensitive information should be approached with caution and integrity.
• Align with Learning Objectives: Reflect on the specific learning outcomes of your course or program, and choose a topic that aligns with these objectives. It ensures that your research contributes to your overall academic development.
• Evaluate Potential Contributions: Think about what new insights or perspectives your research could offer to the field of security management. Choosing a topic that allows you to make a meaningful contribution can be more satisfying and impactful.
• Experiment with Preliminary Research: Before finalizing a topic, conduct some preliminary research to gauge the existing literature and potential research gaps. It can help refine your focus and provide a clearer direction.

Choosing a research paper topic in security management is a multifaceted process that requires thoughtful consideration of various factors. By following the tips outlined above, you can navigate through the complexities of this task and select a topic that resonates with your interests, aligns with academic goals, and contributes to the broader field of security management. Remember, a well-chosen topic is the foundation upon which a successful research paper is built. It’s the starting point that leads to a journey filled with discovery, analysis, and intellectual growth. Make this choice wisely, and let it be a gateway to an engaging and rewarding research experience.

How to Write a Security Management Research Paper

A. introductory paragraph.

Writing a research paper on security management requires more than just a keen interest in the subject; it demands a systematic approach, adherence to academic standards, and the ability to synthesize complex information. Security management, with its multifaceted nature encompassing physical security, cybersecurity, risk assessment, and more, offers an exciting but challenging landscape for research. In this section, we will delve into a step-by-step guide comprising 10 vital tips on how to write an effective security management research paper. These tips aim to guide you through the research, planning, writing, and revision stages, ensuring a coherent and impactful paper.

• Choose the Right Topic: Guidance: Reflect on your interests, the current trends in the field, and the available resources. Consult with mentors and refer to the previous section for more insights into selecting the perfect topic.
• Conduct Thorough Research: Guidance: Use reliable sources like academic journals, books, and reputable online resources. Gather diverse viewpoints on the topic and keep track of the sources for citation.
• Develop a Strong Thesis Statement: Guidance: The thesis should encapsulate the main argument or focus of your paper. It should be clear, concise, and specific, providing a roadmap for the reader.
• Create an Outline: Guidance: Outline the main sections, including introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion, and references. An organized structure helps maintain coherence and logical flow.
• Write a Compelling Introduction: Guidance: Begin with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention, provide background information, and conclude with the thesis statement. The introduction sets the stage for the entire paper.
• Employ the Appropriate Methodology: Guidance: Choose the research methods that align with your research question and objectives. Explain the rationale behind your choices, ensuring that they adhere to ethical standards.
• Analyze Findings and Discuss Implications: Guidance: Present your research findings in a clear and unbiased manner. Discuss the implications of the results in the context of the existing literature and real-world applications.
• Conclude with Insight: Guidance: Summarize the main findings, restate the thesis in the context of the research, and discuss the potential limitations and future research directions. The conclusion should leave the reader with something to ponder.
• Adhere to Academic Formatting: Guidance: Follow the specific formatting guidelines required by your institution or the style guide (APA, MLA, etc.). Pay attention to citations, references, headings, and overall presentation.
• Revise and Proofread: Guidance: Allocate ample time for revising content, structure, and language. Use tools or seek help from peers or professionals for proofreading to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Writing a security management research paper is a rigorous and intellectually stimulating endeavor that requires meticulous planning, research, and execution. The tips provided in this guide are meant to facilitate a well-structured and insightful paper that adheres to academic excellence. By following these guidelines, you not only develop a comprehensive understanding of security management but also contribute valuable insights to this evolving field. Remember, writing is a process of exploration, articulation, and refinement. Embrace the challenge, learn from the journey, and take pride in the scholarly contribution you make through your research paper on security management.

iResearchNet’s Custom Research Paper Services

In the complex world of security management, crafting a top-notch research paper can be a daunting task. The landscape of security management is multifaceted, encompassing areas such as cybersecurity, risk analysis, policy development, physical security, and much more. For students juggling multiple responsibilities, producing a quality research paper on these intricate subjects may seem nearly impossible. That’s where iResearchNet comes into play. Offering tailor-made solutions to your academic needs, iResearchNet is your go-to service for custom security management research papers. Below are the features that make iResearchNet the ideal choice for your academic success.

• Expert Degree-Holding Writers: At iResearchNet, we employ writers who not only hold advanced degrees but also have extensive experience in security management. Their expertise ensures that your paper is insightful, well-researched, and academically sound.
• Custom Written Works: Every research paper is crafted from scratch, tailored to your specific needs, guidelines, and preferences. Our writers work closely with you to understand your vision, making the paper uniquely yours.
• In-Depth Research: Our team engages in thorough research, using reputable sources and cutting-edge methodologies. This diligent approach guarantees a comprehensive understanding of the subject and a well-rounded paper.
• Custom Formatting: Adhering to academic standards is crucial, and our writers are skilled in various formatting styles. Whether APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard, your paper will be formatted to perfection.
• Top Quality: Quality is at the core of our services. From the initial draft to the final submission, we maintain the highest standards of excellence, ensuring that your paper stands out.
• Customized Solutions: We recognize that each student’s needs are unique. Hence, our solutions are not one-size-fits-all but are customized to meet your specific requirements, timelines, and academic level.
• Flexible Pricing: Quality doesn’t have to break the bank. Our pricing structure is designed to be affordable and flexible, providing various options to fit different budgets.
• Short Deadlines: Whether you’re facing a last-minute crunch or planning ahead, our writers can accommodate tight deadlines. Even within as short as 3 hours, we deliver without compromising on quality.
• Timely Delivery: Your time is valuable, and we respect that. Our commitment to timely delivery ensures that you receive your paper well before the deadline, giving you ample time for review.
• 24/7 Support:  Questions or concerns? Our support team is available around the clock. With 24/7 assistance, you can rest assured that help is always just a click away.
• Absolute Privacy: Your privacy is our priority. We employ stringent security measures to protect your personal information. With iResearchNet, your details are safe, secure, and confidential.
• Easy Order Tracking:  With our user-friendly tracking system, you can easily monitor the progress of your order. Stay updated, provide feedback, and enjoy a smooth and transparent process.
• Money Back Guarantee:  Your satisfaction is our goal. If, for any reason, our services do not meet your expectations, our money-back guarantee ensures that you are not at a loss.

iResearchNet’s custom security management research paper services are more than just a promise; they are a commitment to excellence, convenience, and integrity. Our blend of expert writers, personalized solutions, quality assurance, and robust support makes us the preferred choice for students across the globe. Dive into the world of security management without the stress of paper writing, knowing that iResearchNet has got your back. Embark on your academic journey with confidence and trust in a partner who understands your needs and shares your pursuit of excellence. With iResearchNet, you’re not just ordering a paper; you’re investing in your future.

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What sets iResearchNet apart from other writing services is not just our expertise and quality but our understanding of students’ needs. We know that every research paper is not just a task but a step towards your future career in security management. That’s why we invest our best resources to make sure your paper is nothing short of perfect. Our expert writers, meticulous research, and dedication to your satisfaction are all geared towards one goal – helping you excel.

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Top 15+ Information Security Thesis Topics

Information security is nothing but safeguarding web-based information from unauthenticated network devices and users. Majorly, it is intended to provide data safety, reliability, Secrecy, trust, and accessibility for the authenticated devices/users.

For the purpose of data protection, it concentrates on special information security policies and strategies. These policies ensure to shield the data against interruption, illegal access, alteration, and revelation. In the following, we have mentioned the core processes involved in information security.

Key Processes in Information Security

• Protect the network information against both internal and external attacks and store them securely
• Assure the trust and privacy for stored data
• Validate the identity of the communication devices
• Ensure the network information privacy and reliability
• Assure the security over components connected in the network
• In exiting, the attackers easily hack the network and access the system data. So, the efficient approach is needed to get back the control of attackers
• Provide secure sophisticated platform for system design in contradiction of unpredictable services and system
• Verify the user identity for resource accessibility through several techniques
• For instance: Authenticate the user by personal password or pre-shared key
• Guard the system content against sudden undesirable hackers, attacks, intruders and viruses.
• Recognize the each and every system by their unique features
• Manage the resource accessibility based on the authenticated user privileges along with their constrains
• Distribute requested services only to the authenticated users  / devices
• Block the resource or network accessibility of the illegal users/ devices

Our research guidance will best suit your needs if you’re looking for qualified expert guidance. Our experts are frequently updating their skills on current research developments in information security thesis topics . So, we are ready to support you in tackling all the research challenges. Here, we have listed out few common threats that are evolving in information security.

Different Kinds of Security Attacks

• Abuse and delay the data which is actively driving the defective functions to perform
• For instance: Fault injection (based on Electromagnetic, CPU Frequency and Voltage)
• Abuse and delay the data which is passively collected and monitored from the network entities
• Improper manipulation of fundamental features while development of TrustZone
• For instance: device sleep mode and bug fixing methods
• It refers the characteristics that are not properly utilized for security purpose
• For instance: pointer based data sanitization and downgrade resilience
• It is kind of attack that leads to data insecurity because of utilizing weak cryptographic techniques
• For instance: digest methods and weak authentication
• It is kind of attack that cause due to the logical errors
• For instance: mismatch data type and ineffective data assessment
• It is kind of attack that affect the memory of the system
• For instance: buffer overhead, buffer underflow and buffer overflow

In this project, we have addressed the latest Information Security Thesis Topics along with their research directions!!!

What are the 3 elements of layered security?

Now, we can see the layered security in the network since the data is communicated over the network through different layers. So, it is essential to secure those layers for the privacy of transmitting data.

In specific, the layered security approach is designed to focus on overlying layers. Here, we have mentioned three main entities that are required to maintain safety for overlying layers. They are the detection layer, correction layer, and prevention layer . Further, we have specified add-on layers in the network security .

• Penetration Analysis and Testing
• Advanced Access Control
• Continuous Credential Modification
• Secure Information Backup and Storage Hardware
• Safety of Physical Components
• Trust based Information Privacy and Approachability
• Biometric based Multi-factor User Identification
• Authentication and Authorization of Network entities
• IDS and IPS
• Security Information And Event Management (SIEM) Software
• Anti-malware
• Data Backup and Recovery
• Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
• Instigate Alternative Input Devices
• Digital Forensics Security
• Identification and Matching of Attack Signature
• Regular Firewalls Policies Updates

Some other layers in information security can be follows,

• Secure Data Confidentiality
• Authenticated Key Exchange
• Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware
• Secure Cloud based Intelligent System
• Improved Cryptographic Techniques
• Network Enmities (user and device) Authentication
• Sensed Information Security and Privacy
• Private Key Agreement and Distribution

As the research team, our development team also works efficiently in implementing any sort of research solution despite complications . Below, they have mentioned some significant approaches that are used for modern security models modelling a novel research proposal .

Important Functions of Information Security Thesis Topics Model

• Determine the security risk mitigation techniques
• Continuously observe the network actions and do needed modification  for enhancing the security
• Detect the data extortions, susceptibilities and other security related issues
• Need to assess the risk activities that affect the data
• What kind of process did the user do? 
• Which strategies are followed to access the network amenities?
• Who are the users have network data accessibility rights?
• Select the optimum result yielding security approaches and apply them in required phase of development

In addition, our developers have also suggested other important techniques used to untie the challenging security issues like threats and vulnerabilities . Beyond this, we let you know other vital techniques based on your project needs. Also, we assure you that we will support you to the fullest till the end of the project with expected results.

• Attack Hypothesis Testing
• Security Mechanism Assessment
• Perfect System Maintenance
• Detection of Security Vulnerability
• Attack Recognition
• Proactive and Reactive Defences
• Decision Making Validation
• Persistent Retraining Models
• Randomization
• Enhanced Ensembles Classifier
• Data Hiding and Encryption
• Attack Identification
• Adversarial Reinforcement Learning
• Strong Machine and Deep Learning Approaches

Our experts have itemized the highest-demanding research notions in the information security field for your awareness of current Information Security Thesis Topics . More than this, we are furnished with a wide range of interesting topics to serve you in all respects.

Top 15 Information Security Thesis Topics [Research Ideas]

• Secure Remote Healthcare Application
• Enhancing Security using effective Access Control Strategies
• Modelling of Reputation assisted Trust Systems  
• De-Anonymization Approach for Secure Data Mining and Analytics
• Intrusion Prevention and Detection System
• Novel Computation Mechanisms for Preserving Secrecy
• Innovative Structural design of Cybersecurity Models
• Blockchain based Cross‐Domain Trust Assessment 
• Artificial Intelligence-aided Trustable Inference System
• Real-time Improved Safety Application in HetNet-IoT
• Lightweight Multi-Factor authentication in IoT Networks
• Secure Data Aggregation and Mining Technologies
• New Development of Automated Security Mechanisms
• Adaptive Anonymity Approach for System Privacy and Security
• Trust enabled MAC and application layer protocols for Network Security
• Secure Key Generation and Distribution in Edge-Fog computing

Then for development, we have recommended few widely used tools for information security . These tools are listed based on the specific operations involved in information security along with their unique characteristics.

Information Security Monitoring Tools

• Argus (real-time simulation, multi-platform)
• Snoop (0% packet loss, offer > 12 choices)
• Ethereal (Easy to use and robustness)
• Net2pcap (Support auditing service and Linux-oriented)
• Tcpdump (Low interference in compare to ethereal)
• Gulp (Very powerful and user-friendly)
• Ngrep (Support massive data and Cross-layer)
• Libcap (Very efficient)
• Aimsniff (Support Linux platform)
• IPgrab (Presentation of packet header)
• Karski (Restricted appropriateness)
• Nfdump (Friendly packet inspection)
• Dsniff  (Support Unix platform)
• Angst (Powerful and user-friendly)
• Cain and able (user-friendly)
• Nast ( Resourceful and provide > 12 choices)
• Tcptrace (Powerful and Popular)
• TCPtrack (Support linux platform and TCP study)
• Ettercap (Competent, enable > 35 choices)
•  Nfsen (Smooth network data flow)

How to structure a thesis for effective writing?

When we talk about thesis writing, it is necessary to confirm the thesis format/structure. Since it only gives the first impression of the thesis before start reading the thesis by forming encapsulated information with fine-tuned alignment.

Our native writers strictly follow the pre-defined rules that help to uplift the thesis quality by knowing this importance. Basically, for all Information Security Thesis Topics , we usually follow the below chapter, which may change based on the institute’s requirement.

 Here, we have given the common information that must address in perfect thesis writing.

• Start with the precise thesis statement which address the research objectives
• Describe the sufficient background context for better understanding of the concept
• Explain the detailed introduction about the research that further going to discuss in whole thesis
• Denote the research topic in short and crisp with clear insight
• Intelligently move on to the literature survey
• Discuss the examined recent previous research work related to the concept
• Figure out the merit and demerits of the exiting methodologies and algorithms
• Pin point the research gaps that are not addressed properly
• Perform qualitative and quantitative study
• Use appropriate methodologies, techniques and algorithms for solving the problem
• Address the used numerical or mathematical functions
• Present the obtained experimental results
• Signify the data gathered while analysing process
• Surely address the minor and major evidence and proofs
• Prove the research objective
• Discuss the achieved research outcome in conclusion
• Write overview of the research findings
• Give the future research possibility and directions

On the whole, we are ready to give end-to-end research assistance in PhD/MS study . And, we also support you to build information security thesis topics , if you are curious about knowing other new technologies reach our expert team.

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Our Editor-in-Chief has Website Ownership who control and deliver all aspects of PhD Direction to scholars and students and also keep the look to fully manage all our clients.

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• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• UB Directory
• Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering >
• Research >
• Research Areas >

Security and Defense

Our research improves the efficiency and effectiveness of security and defense systems. 

Research in this area includes the development of solutions to optimize the use of sensor networks, including unmanned vehicles using operations research and data fusion methods, improved homeland security through the use of data fusion and game theory, and enhanced trust and decision-making performance in human-automation interactions with security and defense technology.

Sponsors include the National Science Foundation, US Department of Homeland Security, US Navy, USAF Research Laboratory, Defense Threat Reduction Agency Office of Naval Research, Army Research Laboratory Defense Intelligence Agency, US Space Force, Alion (AFRL-Rome), Sierra Nevada Corporation, Overwatch Systems, Raytheon C3 Systems and General Dynamics – AIS.

Affiliated Faculty

• Rajan Batta , PhD
• Ann Bisantz , PhD
• Robert Dell , PhD
• Chase Murray , PhD
• Prashant Sankaran , PhD
• Moises Sudit , PhD
• Jose Walteros , PhD
• Jun Zhuang , PhD

Selected Research Topics

Sensor networks and unmanned vehicles.

Sensors in a data fusion environment over hostile territory are geographically dispersed and change location with time. To collect and process data from these sensors, a flexible network of fusion beds (i.e., clusterheads) is required. The research focuses on modeling and solving problems that arise from multiple sensors working in a particular situation. Most of these problems occur in dynamic environments, where special methodologies are required.

Data Fusion and Homeland Security

Research projects focus on developing methods of enhancing national security and improving the accuracy of intelligence gathering. Information fusion works by combining evidence and intelligence gathered from a wide variety of sources, which when considered separately often yield conflicting and ambiguous results. The system combines and organizes the information from such sources as remote satellites, sensors, and individual personnel, and then incorporates it in a seamless flow to a central command center, where decisions can be more effectively rendered. 

Game Theory and Homeland Security Resource Allocation

Hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars have been allocated to homeland security since 9/11/2001. How to optimally allocate these resources remains a challenging issue, especially considering the fact that adversaries are intelligent and adaptive. In this research, operations research and game theory are integrated to study the optimal defensive resource allocation. The tradeoffs between preparedness and relief, between efficiency and equity, and between private and public investment are also studied.

Information Visualization Research

A number of research projects have addressed the visualization of information relevant for command-and-control operations. Information may come from physical sensors with inherent uncertainty, different values may be provided by different sensors or sources, or future events or states may be difficult to predict. The relationships between information presentation methods including the use of graphical variables (color components, blurriness, and transparency) and multi-modal methods such sound and vibration, and human decision-making performance are studied.

Human Trust and Performance

Research in this area includes studies of trust in automated decision aids, particularly under circumstances where information provided by the aids has been degraded or corrupted. A focus of this work has been decision making in aided, adversarial situations, when decision aids include fused or processed information. 

Airport Security

The research has integrated human factors, operations research and game theory to help authorities better prepare for, mitigate, and manage both natural and man-made hazards in systems such airport security systems. The emphasis thus far has been on the impact of humans and the available technologies on security system reliability and efficiency.

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• Science and Technology Directorate

Interoperability is Key to Effective Emergency Communications

During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we’re sharing updates on S&T efforts focused on getting first responders the information they need quickly.

When it comes to communicating emergency information to and among first responders, interoperability is a problem. In some cases, emergency responders cannot talk to some parts of their own agencies—let alone communicate with agencies in neighboring cities, counties, or states. And when time is of the essence, the results can be catastrophic. But there are other factors that can impede response, and we are keenly focused on addressing each of these with technological solutions.

The 9/11 Commission Report speaks at great length about the issues the lack of interoperability caused. As a result of the Commission Report, there was a significant reorganization of response capabilities, which included the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and, soon after, the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). We've been on the case ever since, working for and with responders to better understand and deliver on their technology needs.

While all these organizations are working to find a solution, we have multiple efforts underway to support new technologies to help correct for these gaps. For instance, our First Responder Capability portfolio and Technology Centers work with responders across the country on communications solutions. But the challenges are formidable, as jurisdictions manage their own technology across 6,000 911 call centers nationwide.

Wireless: The Wave of the Future

Let’s face it. The future of communications is going to be wireless, and that extends to emergency communications, too.

S&T has been sponsoring research across a number of areas, based on findings in the S&T “Study on Mobile Device Security” Report, which concluded that targeted research and development (R&D) could inform standards to improve security and resilience of critical mobile communications networks. As a result, S&T’s Mobile Security R&D Program established the Secure and Resilient Mobile Network Infrastructure (SRMNI) project and has efforts underway to establish standards for secure voice and video capability for communications across the 3G, 4G, and 5G networks.

Last year, interagency discussions were held that included S&T, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, and the U.S. Department of Defense, among others, to identify lab testing requirements for 5G Emergency Communications interoperability. Then, in early spring of 2024, S&T and MITRE demoed new features in the new 5G ecosystem critical to DHS components and first responder use cases and continued to conduct engineering analysis and lab-based research to identify potential gaps. Research will be ongoing.

So, we are trending forward but are still working on helping aid improvements across traditional networks.

Connectivity is Key

As it stands, CAD-to-CAD (computer-aided dispatch) communications are the key to interoperability and resilience between government agencies responding to emergencies. Once the 911 call or text is answered, the information is sent to CAD, which is used to send the right resource to the right location. Public safety agencies have different CAD systems that don’t always efficiently share information. The result is ineffective and costly interoperable issues across communications systems.

In 2021, S&T funded a successful CAD-to-CAD interoperability pilot project run by the Integrated Justice Information Systems (IJIS) Institute to apply a single standard across municipalities to achieve interoperability. This pilot was successful in testing this theory by applying specifications across three localities – two in New Hampshire and one in Vermont, all three reliant on an InfoCAD™ environment hosted in the Amazon GovCloud. Through testing of two use cases – a three- or four-alarm fire and a medical emergency – IJIS demonstrated a viable solution in a live environment.  

Our Office of Mission and Capability Support will be conducting market research within the next few months on CAD-to-CAD Interoperability Compliance / Conformance testing. This upcoming effort is part of a five-year research & development portfolio under S&T’s Critical Infrastructure Security & Resilience Research (CISRR) Program, which is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021. The objective is to build upon the previous work done by the SRMNI project to establish interoperability functional specifications and develop a model for wide-scale implementation of these standards.

Location, Location, Location

Out-of-date Voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone numbers, connected to the Internet by design, are another issue that can create emergence response delays. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires VoIP telephone service providers to maintain a subscriber’s verified street address as a dispatchable location to the 911 community. If a call is placed for emergency services and there is a lack of cellular coverage, the VoIP address should serve as backup. But these addresses aren’t being updated when moves are made.

The result is first responders routed to the wrong place during emergencies. Our Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program released a solicitation in 2023 calling for a solution to help identify whether a call to 911 is coming from a different location than the registered location. We will have more information available on this later this spring, but the aim is to better enable VoIP service providers to provide a valid, dispatchable address.

By helping to advance CAD-to-CAD interoperability testing, seeking a solution to assist with address accuracy through VoIP, and planning for mobile interoperability solutions of the future, we at S&T are hopeful that we can help support first responders and the telecommunicators that assist them get services to the people that need them more efficiently.

Learn more about other S&T efforts to help provide technology solutions to improve emergency response communications .

• Science and Technology
• Emergency Communication
• Public Safety
• First Responders