A prototype for assessing information security awareness

Due to the intensified need for improved information security, many organisations have established information security awareness programs to ensure that their employees are informed and aware of security risks, thereby protecting themselves and their profitability. In order for a security awareness program to add value to an organisation and at the same time make a contribution to the field of information security, it is necessary to have a set of methods to study and measure its effect. The objective of this paper is to report on the development of a prototype model for measuring information security awareness in an international mining company. Following a description of the model, a brief discussion of the application results is presented. a 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.