IT ADAPTABILITY AS A CATALYST OF PLANNED CYBER THREATS AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOUR: A MODERATED MEDIATION ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study addresses the weak intention-behavior gap in dynamic threat environment such as the internet. Specifically, we examine the role of IT adaptability in enhancing the translation of cybersecurity intention to cybersecurity behavior across public sector employees. We build from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Technology Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT), and Coping Model of User Adaptation to examines planned cyber threats avoidance behavior among 558 sampled public sector employees. A moderated mediation analysis evaluates how Avoidance Attitude (AA), Subjective Norms (SNO), and Self-efficacy (SEFF) influences Avoidance Intention (AI) and Avoidance Behavior (AB) with ITA as both a direct predictor and a moderator of AI-AB relationship. Results show that AA, SNO, and SEFF influences AI. Both AI and ITA directly predict AB. ITA strengthen the effect on AI-AB association. At higher levels of ITA, the conditional indirect effects were statistically significant. Our model explains 58.9% of variance in AB. These results extend TPB by emphasizing adaptability as a catalyst that translate security intentions into security behaviors. The findings of the study have important contribution to researchers and practitioners in the area of behavioral cybersecurity as empirical evidence for nurturing adaptive cybersecurity behaviors in an ever-changing IT environment are provided.