IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ijocip/v34y2021ics1874548221000469.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cybersecurity professionals information sharing sources and networks in the U.S. electrical power industry

Author

Listed:
  • Randall, Rick G.
  • Allen, Stuart

Abstract

This article describes an exploratory qualitative case study of information sharing among cybersecurity professionals in the critical U.S. electrical power industry. Drawing on organizational information processing theory, this study examined how information related to cybersecurity related threats and response alternatives was accessed and shared in the participants’ organizations and within their broader industry network. In-depth interviews of 13 participants from 10 organizations were conducted to identify the nature of information sharing, the networks used to access the information, and changes that could improve information sharing between cybersecurity professionals and their organizations. The study found that information sharing networks exist at interpersonal, company-to-company, and company-to-multicompany levels of analysis. The role of trust in forming these networks was notable, as was the role of certain communication media, particularly threat briefings, testing exercises, and cybersecurity mutual assistance planning. The study found that certain types of network actors, such as law enforcement agencies, had strong relationship ties with the utility companies, while other actor types had weak or nonexistent ties. The implications for critical infrastructure protection are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Randall, Rick G. & Allen, Stuart, 2021. "Cybersecurity professionals information sharing sources and networks in the U.S. electrical power industry," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:34:y:2021:i:c:s1874548221000469
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcip.2021.100454
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874548221000469
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijcip.2021.100454?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    2. Ahrne, Göran & Brunsson, Nils, 2005. "Organizations and meta-organizations," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 429-449, December.
    3. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    4. Leszczyna, Rafał, 2018. "Standards on cyber security assessment of smart grid," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 70-89.
    5. Bálint Horváth & Wolf Wagner, 2016. "Macroprudential Policies and the Lucas Critique," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Macroprudential policy, volume 86, pages 39-44, Bank for International Settlements.
    6. Akbar Zaheer & Bill McEvily & Vincenzo Perrone, 1998. "Does Trust Matter? Exploring the Effects of Interorganizational and Interpersonal Trust on Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(2), pages 141-159, April.
    7. Nicholas Vonortas & Lorenzo Zirulia, 2015. "Strategic technology alliances and networks," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 490-509, July.
    8. Jarmakiewicz, Jacek & Parobczak, Krzysztof & Maślanka, Krzysztof, 2017. "Cybersecurity protection for power grid control infrastructures," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 20-33.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brem, Alexander & Radziwon, Agnieszka, 2017. "Efficient Triple Helix collaboration fostering local niche innovation projects – A case from Denmark," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 130-141.
    2. Diego M. Coraiola & Robbin Derry, 2020. "Remembering to Forget: The Historic Irresponsibility of U.S. Big Tobacco," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(2), pages 233-252, October.
    3. Fotios Katimertzopoulos & Charis Vlados, 2019. "Towards a New Approach of Innovation in Less Developed Regional Business Ecosystems," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Kavala Campus, Greece, vol. 12(2), pages 33-41, December.
    4. Rosalba Ortiz & Jordi Peris, 2022. "The Role of Farmers’ Umbrella Organizations in Building Transformative Capacity around Grassroots Innovations in Rural Agri-Food Systems in Guatemala," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-25, February.
    5. Clauss, Thomas & Ritala, Paavo, 2023. "Network governance institutionalization: Creating mutual value by harnessing and avoiding conflicts in interorganizational networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Papachristos, George & Papadonikolaki, Eleni & Morgan, Bethan, 2024. "Projects as a speciation and aggregation mechanism in transitions: Bridging project management and transitions research in the digitalization of UK architecture, engineering, and construction industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    7. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Fábio T. F. Silva & Alexandre Szklo & Amanda Vinhoza & Ana Célia Nogueira & André F. P. Lucena & Antônio Marcos Mendonça & Camilla Marcolino & Felipe Nunes & Francielle M. Carvalho & Isabela Tagomori , 2022. "Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 1-39, October.
    9. John A. Mathews, 2020. "Schumpeterian economic dynamics of greening: propagation of green eco-platforms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 929-948, September.
    10. Christophe Bonnet, 2003. "Confiance et gouvernement des entreprises: le rôle de la confiance dans la relation capital-investisseurs et dirigeants et son influence sur la performance," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-00451522, HAL.
    11. Wiegand, Julia, 2017. "Dezentrale Stromerzeugung als Chance zur Stärkung der Energie-Resilienz: Eine qualitative Analyse kommunaler Strategien im Raum Unna," Wuppertaler Studienarbeiten zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, volume 11, number 11.
    12. Oliver Wagner & Thomas Adisorn & Lena Tholen & Dagmar Kiyar, 2020. "Surviving the Energy Transition: Development of a Proposal for Evaluating Sustainable Business Models for Incumbents in Germany’s Electricity Market," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, February.
    13. Jordi Molas-Gallart & Alejandra Boni & Sandro Giachi & Johan Schot, 2021. "A formative approach to the evaluation of Transformative Innovation Policies [The Need for Reflexive Evaluation Approaches in Development Cooperation]," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(4), pages 431-442.
    14. John M. de Figueiredo & Brian S. Silverman, 2017. "On the Genesis of Interfirm Relational Contracts," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(4), pages 234-245, December.
    15. Jarratt, Denise & Ceric, Arnela, 2015. "The complexity of trust in business collaborations," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 2-12.
    16. Capellán-Pérez, Iñigo & Campos-Celador, Álvaro & Terés-Zubiaga, Jon, 2018. "Renewable Energy Cooperatives as an instrument towards the energy transition in Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 215-229.
    17. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    18. Pigford, Ashlee-Ann E. & Hickey, Gordon M. & Klerkx, Laurens, 2018. "Beyond agricultural innovation systems? Exploring an agricultural innovation ecosystems approach for niche design and development in sustainability transitions," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 116-121.
    19. Pradeep Racherla & Munir Mandviwalla, 2013. "Moving from Access to Use of the Information Infrastructure: A Multilevel Sociotechnical Framework," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 709-730, September.
    20. Arman Avadikyan & Patrick Llerena, 2009. "Socio-technical transition processes: A real option based reasoning," Working Papers of BETA 2009-21, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:34:y:2021:i:c:s1874548221000469. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-critical-infrastructure-protection .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.