Advancing human performance in cybersecurity

About this project

<p>The world is experiencing a high demand for high-quality cybersecurity specialists due to an increasing number of cyber attacks and their technological advancement. In the Baltic countries, the geopolitical situation sets cybersecurity as a top priority.&nbsp; All economic sectors depend on the protection against cybercrime. In more than 90% of cyber incidents, humans could be seen both as attack targets and defenders having a broad set of technical and generic competencies. There is an enormous lack of research regarding the role of human factors in cybersecurity internationally. The establishment of an international cross-disciplinary research team will address the urgent need for a scientific understanding of human limitations and capabilities in the cyber kill chain.</p> <p>The three Baltic countries and their partners from Norway and Liechtenstein make the team to investigate human behaviour in cybersecurity by combining research areas of computer science, psychology, and human genomics. The project aims to develop a comprehensive, science-based interdisciplinary framework to develop and assess generic and subject-related competences of the current and future cybersecurity workforce. The data will be gathered based on the participants of international cybersecurity exercises. Risk assessment and educational components will be tested in the student environment. Statistical and data mining tools will be used to interpret multilayered data and to find correlations among genetic, behavioural, and technical skills under stressful conditions.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Bilateral cooperation results

Project research, dissemination, and internal collaboration activities create societal impacts, ensure knowledge exchange, and build long-term relationships. The project covered multiple research areas. To collaborate among researchers and better understand the modus operandi in research, partners spent numerous meetings adapting to each other's dictionaries and sharing knowledge of capabilities in each related area. Participation and selection of multi-field journals and conferences enabled all team members to better understand and cope with differences in research requirements and experimentation limitations. The partners initiated preparing new publications, writing funding applications, and arranging joint academic activities. Partners were involved in activities at partner institutions and with stakeholders to share and exchange knowledge and strengthen collaboration ties. Active communication allowed the team to know each other better and build relationships. The project team structure and goals made the project attractive to the international community - Vilnius University investigators were invited to give presentations in several events organized by embassies of non-beneficiary countries (Italy, UK).

Project partners

• Norwegian University of Science and Technology Donor project partner· Norway
• Østfold University College Donor project partner· Norway
• University of Liechtenstein Donor project partner· Liechtenstein
• Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences Project partner· Latvia
• Riga Technical University Project partner· Latvia
• Tallinn University of Technology Project partner· Estonia
• The General Jonas Zemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania Project partner· Lithuania