Content area

Abstract

Malicious cybersecurity attacks threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of organizational data. This issue concerns organizational leaders and cybersecurity professionals who must address these threats to prevent operational disruptions, financial losses, reputational damage, and declining stakeholder trust. Grounded in organizational learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies information technology security professionals use to proactively respond to evolving cybersecurity threats. The study involved 16 cybersecurity professionals, each with a minimum of five years of experience in implementing both offensive and defensive cybersecurity strategies within their organizations. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of relevant literature. Thematic analysis revealed four major proactive strategies: continuous evaluation and improvement, senior leadership support or buy-in, threat detection and prevention, and training. A key recommendation is to conduct regular and routine risk and threat assessments to monitor and refine an organization’s cybersecurity posture. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organizational leaders and cybersecurity professionals to enhance the security of digital environments, thereby improving public confidence in the protection and exchange of sensitive information via Internet applications.

Details

1010268
Business indexing term
Title
Cybersecurity Strategies for Effective Proactive Response to Cyber Attacks
Number of pages
352
Publication year
2025
Degree date
2025
School code
0543
Source
DAI-A 86/12(E), Dissertation Abstracts International
ISBN
9798286432776
University/institution
Walden University
Department
Information Systems and Technology
University location
United States -- Minnesota
Degree
D.I.T.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
32116317
ProQuest document ID
3224180269
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/cybersecurity-strategies-effective-proactive/docview/3224180269/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Database
ProQuest One Academic