Development of Cybersecurity Awareness Model Based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) for Digital IR 4.0 in Malaysia

This study aims to examine the complex interplay among perceived threat severity, perceived threat vulnerability, fear, perceived response efficacy, perceived self-efficacy, and response cost using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0, grounded in the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). The analysis is situated within the context of cyber security and information security in Industry Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) environments, where interconnected systems are increasingly exposed to cyber threats. Both measurement and structural model assessments were performed, revealing strong indicator loadings, high Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability (CR), and adequate average variance extracted (AVE), confirming the model’s reliability and validity. The Fornell-Larcker criterion and heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio confirmed discriminant validity, while variance inflation factor (VIF) values under 5 and an R² value of 0.554 indicated no collinearity issues and moderate explanatory power in the structural model. Findings demonstrate that perceived threat severity and vulnerability significantly increased fear, which mediated the threat perception-protection motivation relationship, emphasising the role of emotional responses in decision-making. Coping appraisal components, namely perceived response efficacy and self-efficacy, were strong positive predictors of protection motivation, while response cost negatively influenced protective behaviour intentions. Although intrusion detection systems are essential in mitigating cyber risks, this study highlights the equally critical behavioural component of cyber defence. The outcomes underscore the value of PMT in modelling security behaviour, offering theoretical and practical implications for behavioural interventions, public health strategies, and policy design in IR 4.0 domains. These insights contribute to strengthening cybersecurity and information security culture across digitally-driven industries.