Noise and Stress Don't Help With Learning: A Qualitative Study to Inform Design of Effective Cybersecurity Awareness in Manufacturing Environments

Abstract

With Industry 4.0, cybersecurity risks in manufacturing contexts are increasing rapidly. Since mandatory cybersecurity awareness programs (CAP) are considered best practice, companies looking at adapting training for this group, and allowed us to conduct a study. We conducted semi-structured interviews with n=33 manufacturing workers in 6 locations, to determine what they knew about cybersecurity risks, to what extent they consider them relevant, and what their experiences with, and perceptions of cybersecurity measures and training were. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Most of our participants reported only occasional interaction with what they consider ''office'' information and communication technology (ICT) in the context of their daily work. For most, the only touchpoints were HR-related transactions (pay and vacation), conducted via shared digital shopfloor kiosk PCs, through which they also received corporate communications. Most participants did not consider cybersecurity their responsibility, associating it with ''office'' and ''management'' roles. Most ICT and cybersecurity as potential threats to ''smooth running'' of work processes and their productivity. At the same time, there was positive perception of safety measures and training, with a clear preference for face-to-face team-based training in situ, so they could ask questions and point out possible issues - very different from the company's idea of individual computer-based trained, which most would receive via shared kiosk PCs on a noisy shop floor. Our results suggest that successful CAP needs to tailor content not only according to relevant risks, but relating those to key values and work practices, and consider different ways of delivering it.