Human and organisational factors influencing the preparedness of small and medium-sized enterprises against cyber-attacks in developing countries

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly susceptible to cyber-attacks, which can have considerable ramifications for both the organisation and the global economy. These include, for example, phishing, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, malware and Trojans. Notwithstanding the latent nature of the problem, there remains a research gap in the study of cyber-attacks among organisations. The objective of this research is to examine the factors that influence the occurrence of cyber-attacks on SMEs in a developing country. To this end, a quantitative study was conducted. A total of 112 surveys were collected and analysed using SmartPLS 4 software, with the aid of a Partial Least Squares PLS-SEM proposed and developed. The findings indicate that a significant proportion of SMEs, 33%, have experienced a cyber-attack. Furthermore, the study identified the two most significant factors influencing cyber-attacks on SMEs: human talent and resources. Furthermore, the study emphasised the importance of cyber awareness, supplier relationships and organisational cybersecurity preparedness. These findings have practical implications for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the education sector, and the closing of the research gap concerning cyber-attacks in these organisations. This study makes a contribution to existing knowledge about the information security challenges faced by small businesses in emerging economies.