False alarms and incorrect rejections in an information security center: correlation with the frequency of incidents.
This study examines the actions taken by operators aimed at preventing and combating information security incidents at a banking organization. The work utilizes the theoretical framework of ergonomics and cognitive psychology. The method is workplace ergonomic analysis. Its focus is directed towards examining the cognitive dimension of the work environment with special attention to the occurrence of correlations between variability in incident frequency and the results of sign detection actions. It categorizes 45,142 operator decisions according to the theory of signal detection (Sternberg, 2000). It analyzes the correlation between incident proportions (indirectly associated with the cognitive efforts demanded from the operator) and operator decisions. The study demonstrated the existence of a positive correlation between incident proportions and false positive decisions (false alarms). However, this correlation could not be observed in relation to decisions of the false-negative type (incorrect rejection).
Work and Organizational Social Psychology Postgraduate Department, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil. thiersdf@hotmail.com
Thiers
T
Bruno
Julia
J
Abrahão
D003071:Cognition; D003132:Commerce; D016494:Computer Security; D003657:Decision Making; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis