Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology

Department

Information and Decision Sciences

First Reader/Committee Chair

Essia Hamouda

Abstract

Cyberattacks are a major problem for public organizations across the nation, and unfortunately for them, the frequency of these attacks is constantly growing. This project used a case study approach to explore the types of cybersecurity public organization agencies face and how those crimes can be mitigated. The goal of this paper is to understand how public organization agencies have prepared for cyberattacks and discuss additional suggestions to improve their current systems with the current research available This research provides an analysis of current cyber security systems, new technologies that can be implemented, roadblocks public agencies face before and during the implementation of changes, and the benefits of shared knowledge across departments. The survey shows that while each agency utilizes different systems to protect its networks, the experts interviewed believe there are areas for improvement. One major roadblock to public organization agencies is dealing with the multi-step approval process of public sector entities. Relevant research also shows that sharing knowledge between groups can be beneficial for similar groups and entities with similar goals. The conclusions of this research are that mitigation of cyber-attacks need leadership buy-in, knowledge sharing between agencies, and the implementation of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) models. Areas of further study include the ethics surrounding the use of AI, the problem of creating a sustained cybersecurity mindset, and how the implementation process can be streamlined in public organizations.

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