The principles of science include relativism, determinism, parsimony, objectivity, empiricism, and ethical neutrality.

Relativism (all things are related) – Many relationships in cybersecurity build upon the industry. These relationships include technology → creation of the cyberspace, healthcare relying on technological advancements, technological advancements → new ways to commit/solve crimes, etc.

Determinism (behavior is caused, determined, or influenced by preceding events) – When it comes to cybersecurity, most crimes/incidents happen because of something else. A primary example that is seen often is security breaches of companies/organizations. Due to a lack of security and identifying vulnerabilities, attackers can infiltrate the systems and exploit the information.

Parsimony (how simple explanations/theories are) – It is very difficult to explain why individuals decide to do certain things, as there can be many determining factors involved. This applies to cybersecurity in all aspects, as there are not always exact reasons why things happen or why people did/did not do something.

Objectivity (using factual and non-biased information during studies) – Being that cybersecurity is such an extensive field, there will be many opinions and perspectives about different situations. To address these situations in the best way possible, individuals must take an objective approach compared to a subjective approach to ensure the validity of the information.

Empiricism (using data that relates to the five senses) – Without concrete evidence that has been proven to be true, cyber threats and vulnerabilities are nearly impossible to approach. Data and evidence that have been found through thorough investigations and research contribute to the understanding and prevention of these threats/vulnerabilities going forward.

Ethical Neutrality (taking a neutral approach to controversial topics) – Many issues within cybersecurity may be considered either ethical or unethical. The use of technology itself is a major debate due to how individuals decide what to use technology for. When social scientists are researching these topics, they must remain neutral during the entire process.