Cybersecurity is the interdisciplinary study of the technological and social domains relevant to securing cyberspace. As a social science, it includes principles of varying social science disciplines such as psychology, sociology, criminology, economics, and political science. Considering social sciences are just as important as the natural sciences, a scientific principle must be applied for the study of cybersecurity. These principles are the following:
Relativism: All things are connected
Technological advancements have led to the creation of cyberspace
Education system relies on technology
Health care system evolved with tech advancements
New types of crime and security issues
Criminal justice system created new ways to respond to crime
Political system passed laws to address technology
Objectivity: Scientists study topics in a value-free manner
Study is not to promote an opinion / point of view
Purpose it to advance knowledge of cyber technologies/systems
Parsimony: Scientists keep their explanations as simple as possible
Ensures others can understand explanations & test in subsequent research
Empiricism: Scientists study behavior which is real to the senses
Asserts scientific knowledge comes from what we experience
Should not rely on opinions or hunches to frame understanding
Ethical Neutrality: Scientists must adhere to ethical standards when conducting research
Must protect the rights of individuals studied
Empirically and objectively study topics
Determinism: Behavior is caused, determined, or influenced by preceding events
Nomothetic model – identifies few causes of behavior
Idiographic model – identifies multiple causes over time of a behavior
Research Methods
Surveys
Archival Research
Experiments
Field Research
Case studies