Cyberaggression outside the workplace and lack of perceived offline social support predict insider threat behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether employees’ cyberaggressive behaviors outside the workplace and lack of perceived social support, online or offline, predict insider threat behaviors. Design/methodology/approach In total, 206 MTurk participants completed an anonymous, online survey measuring self-reported insider threat behaviors within the workplace (cyber intrusion and data exploitation; low-level cyber misconduct), cyberaggressive behaviors outside the workplace (cybersexual and interpersonal aggression; cyber verbal aggression) and perceived lack of online or offline social support. Findings Controlling for age and gender, the results showed that both forms of cyberaggression outside the workplace (i.e. cybersexual and interpersonal aggression; cyber verbal aggression) and lower levels of offline perceived social support were associated with increased “cyber intrusion and data exploitation” behaviors in the workplace (ΔR2 = 0.65). For “low-level cyber misconduct” behaviors in the workplace, only cybersexual and interpersonal aggression and perceived offline support were significant predictors after controlling for age and gender (ΔR2 = 0.61). Originality/value The authors conclude that cyberaggressive behaviors outside the workplace and lack of perceived offline social support predict insider threat behaviors. These findings underscore the importance of considering other forms of online deviance (e.g. nonconsensual image-based harms) and perceived social support in preventing or reducing insider threats.