Survey of Cyber Security Awareness in Health, Social Services and Regional Government in South Ostrobothnia, Finland

Abstract

As the health, social services and regional government reform set great expectations for the new technology and the savings it brings, the importance of cyber security increases. When training cyber security for the personnel of the South Ostrobothnia Hospital District (EPSHP), the shortcomings in cyber security awareness emerged. Because improving the awareness is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to improve cyber security level in organizations, the current level of cyber security awareness was seen valuable to measure in organizations under the reform in the region of South Ostrobothnia. The study investigated the current level of cyber security awareness and the reasons affecting it. Cyber security awareness studied with three different surveys. The first two surveys organized as a part of cyber security lessons for the personnel of the Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia. The third survey conducted as an internet survey for all organizations involved in the reform in South Ostrobothnia. A total of over 1,200 responses to the questionnaires analyzed using material-based content analysis. The results enabled to create an overall view of the current level of cyber security awareness in the organizations, the coverage of the education and the reasons affecting them. According the results, the cyber security awareness and education are lacking among the personnel and management in the target organization. The overall cyber security awareness should be improved in all target organizations.