An Update To The Insider System Security Attack Prediction Model To Suit Selected Public Universities In Kenya

Abstract

Insiders are the people with legal access to the information and pauses a challenge to the security of the information systems. The insiders may compromise the system security through misusing the resources they have been assigned to accomplish their roles in the university. The study objectives were to establish information systems security insider threats in selected public universities in Kenya; evaluate insider system security mechanism in place in selected public universities in Kenya and update an insider system security attack prediction model for insider security threats. Two public universities were selected for data collection where information system users and information systems experts were targeted in a quantitative research approach. Questionnaires were used as research instruments in data collection. The study established that there were insider security threats in selected public universities with 55% of the respondents stating they had been aware of such incidents in their working stations. There were several reasons that were pointed out as motivators for insiders to initiate attacks. Financial gain, disgruntlement, revenge, attention seeking, not rewarded, lack of promotion and espionage were found to be motivators of insider attackers. The leading causes of insider threats were also explored where weak policy, and lack of implementation of the policies being the key causes of insider security threats. The study recommends a predictive model for predicting the insider attacks was realized out of the need for a precise and better prediction model where different components of the insider threat issue could be easily understood and implemented. There were several elements that the model proposed. The elements represent four areas; the motivator henceforth referred to as catalyst, actor characteristics (those of the potential insider threat), attack characteristics and the institution characteristics.