A Surveillance Banner on Compromised Computer Systems Reduces Hackers’ Active Engagement

This work was guided by deterrence theory toward assessing the effect of a surveillance message in reducing the frequency and severity of hacker behavior on a compromised system. Specifically, the study assesses whether a surveillance message has a restrictive deterrent effect toward hackers limiting the frequency and severity of their system trespassing. This investigation is one of many in a series of projects testing different treatments within randomized controlled trial designs. The primary goal of this work, and the related inquiries, is to discover and evaluate security measures driven by the human component with regard to cybercrime.