Compliance With Information Systems Security Controls in Higher Education in South Africa

Abstract

The surge in information security breaches in higher learning institutions has prompted researchers to identify factors that need to be considered to ensure compliance with information systems security controls in place. This chapter investigated factors that influence compliance with information systems security by adopting a conceptual framework that combines the protection motivation theory (PMT) and the skills theory as the guiding framework. Data was collected from a convenient sample size of 85 respondents from a higher learning institution in South Africa. Data analysis was carried out using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the aid of SMARTPLS 3.2.9 software. The results revealed that perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, perceived rewards, response efficacy, response costs, and awareness explained 42.2% of the variance in compliance with information systems security controls. Thus, this study suggests that practitioners need to ensure that students recognise information systems security threats of their universities.