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The hidden threat of cyber-attacks - undermining public confidence in government

Journal of information technology & politics, 2023-10, Vol.20 (4), p.359-374 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. 2022 ;ISSN: 1933-1681 ;EISSN: 1933-169X ;DOI: 10.1080/19331681.2022.2112796

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  • Title:
    The hidden threat of cyber-attacks - undermining public confidence in government
  • Author: Shandler, Ryan ; Gomez, Miguel Alberto
  • Subjects: anger ; Cyber-attacks ; dread ; public confidence ; ransomware ; trust in government
  • Is Part Of: Journal of information technology & politics, 2023-10, Vol.20 (4), p.359-374
  • Description: This paper argues that the primary threat posed by cyber-attacks is not cataclysmic physical destruction - but rather more insidious societal risks such as reduced trust in government. To test this claim, we collect and analyze survey data in the immediate aftermath of a ransomware attack against a Düsseldorf hospital (n = 707). We find that exposure to cyber-attacks significantly diminishes public confidence among segments of the population who are exposed to the attack. Cyber-attacks exploit particular qualities of cyberspace that are directly tied to matters of public confidence, causing a precipitous drop in public trust. Second, we identify the psychological mechanism underpinning this effect, with anger and dread intervening in countervailing directions. Feelings of anger triggered by exposure to cyber-attacks amplify public confidence, while the more potent feeling of dread reduces confidence. Our findings verify that governments cannot rely on a unifying social-cohesion effect following cyber-attacks since the public is liable to perceive the authorities as incapable of defending against future threats. We conclude by discussing why escalating cyber-threats can cause severe social upheaval and reduce trust in democratic institutions, and discuss what constitutes exposure to the new generation of attacks in cyberspace.
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 1933-1681
    EISSN: 1933-169X
    DOI: 10.1080/19331681.2022.2112796
  • Source: Taylor & Francis Open Access
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