Browsing by Author "Williams, Nikki"

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    Cybersecurity 4.0: safeguarding trust and production in the digital food industry era
    (Springer, 2024-01-04) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Krishna, Ashish; Jagtap, Sandeep; Williams, Nikki; Afy-Shararah, Mohamed; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    The food industry is vital manufacturing sector globally, with an ever-increasing reliance on digitalisation and technology-driven processes. However, this advancement introduces inherent cyberattack risks, encompassing data breaches and system disruptions, which can severely impact production and disrupt the entire food chain. Consequently, cyber threats can evoke fear and mistrust among consumers, potentially tarnishing a company's brand. This paper presents a comprehensive research methodology, including an extensive literature review and a detailed survey, aimed at assessing the current state of cybersecurity within the food industry. The problem at hand is the industry's apparent lack of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against the growing threat landscape, which this research aims to address. Our findings reveal a clear gap in cybersecurity preparedness within the food industry, with potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cyber adversaries. In response, we propose a specialised security framework designed to mitigate these risks. The framework is built upon a thorough analysis of the industry's existing cybersecurity posture and the identification of both current and emerging cyber threats. The contribution of this research relies in the development of a security framework that strengthens the industry's cyber defenses, thereby enhancing its competitive advantage. The framework emphasizes the importance of continuous employee education and training as a cornerstone for improving the security environment. Enhancing the security environment through ongoing employee education and training is crucial for fostering consumer trust and enabling seamless growth within the industry. By adopting a proactive approach to cybersecurity, the food industry can ensure the sustainability and reliability of its operations in the face of evolving cyber threats.
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    Remote working pre- and post-COVID-19: an analysis of new threats and risks to security and privacy
    (Springer, 2021-07-03) Nurse, Jason R. C.; Williams, Nikki; Collins, Emily; Panteli, Niki; Blythe, John; Koppelman, Ben
    COVID-19 has radically changed society as we know it. To reduce the spread of the virus, millions across the globe have been forced to work remotely, often in make-shift home offices, and using a plethora of new, unfamiliar digital technologies. In this article, we critically analyse cyber security and privacy concerns arising due to remote working during the coronavirus pandemic. Through our work, we discover a series of security risks emerging because of the realities of this period. For instance, lack of remote-working security training, heightened stress and anxiety, rushed technology deployment, and the presence of untrusted individuals in a remote-working environment (e.g., in flatshares), can result in new cyber-risk. Simultaneously, we find that as organisations look to manage these and other risks posed by their remote workforces, employee’s privacy (including personal information and activities) is often compromised. This is apparent in the significant adoption of remote workplace monitoring, management and surveillance technologies. Such technologies raise several privacy and ethical questions, and further highlight the tension between security and privacy going forward.
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    Securing industry 4.0: Assessing cybersecurity challenges and proposing strategies for manufacturing management
    (Elsevier, 2024-08-02) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Albarrak, Majed; Jagtap, Sandeep; Williams, Nikki; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    Industry 4.0 represents the foundation of the fourth industrial revolution, characterised by the integration of innovative technology into the manufacturing process. This integration enhances automation, diagnostics, data analysis, and autonomous decision-making through the networking of equipment and machinery. However, the increased reliance on technology raises concerns about the implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity. This paper aims to address cybersecurity challenges in the manufacturing industry and suggest strategies to reduce risks. In particular, it examines the level of awareness and understanding of cybersecurity issues among manufacturing employees, establishes accountability for cyberattacks, and evaluates the effectiveness of existing industry practices. The current cybersecurity landscape in the manufacturing industry was thoroughly analysed. Data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and case studies to measure awareness, identify knowledge gaps, and assess existing practices. The research findings indicate a significant knowledge gap regarding cybersecurity among manufacturing employees. This vulnerability can be attributed to the lack of funding and training, especially compared to the resources provided to information technology departments and corporate employees. The study emphasises the importance of redirecting cybersecurity resources and protocols towards the manufacturing industry. This paper puts forward a series of recommendations to mitigate risks and safeguard the manufacturing industry.
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    Trust disruption and preservation in the Covid-19 work from home context
    (Emerald, 2022-08-24) Panteli, Niki; Nurse, Jason R. C.; Collins, Emily; Williams, Nikki
    Purpose The paper posits that the enforced work from home (WFH) arrangement due to Covid-19 provides a unique setting for the study of trust in changing contexts. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine to what extent Covid-19 WFH changed trust relationships among remote employees, their managers and organisations and how this has taken place. Design/methodology/approach The study used semi-structured interviews with employees and managers from different organisations across different sectors. Interviews were supported with image prompts as suggested by the storyboarding method, and took place between November 2020 and February 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings The findings identified factors that contribute to trust disruption and factors that led to trust preservation within the changing workspace landscape enforced by WFH environment. Employees reported trust in their organisations, feeling as though their organisations proven resilient at the time of the crisis caused by the pandemic. Interestingly, managers reported trust in employees to remain productive but also anxieties due to the possible presence of others in the household. Originality/value The study identified factors that affect intra-organisational trust that have not been previously recognised, exposing tensions and challenges that may disrupt trust relations between managers and employees whilst also identifying evidence of trust preservation in the Covid-19 WFH context. The study has implications for workplace learning within the remote, WFH context, which are discussed.
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    What support do systematic reviews provide for evidence-informed teaching about software engineering practice?
    (Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 2020-02-13) Budgen, David; Brereton, Pearl; Williams, Nikki; Drummond, Sarah
    Background: The adoption of the evidence-based research paradigm by software engineering researchers has created a growing knowledge base provided by the outcomes from systematic reviews. Aim: We set out to identify and catalogue a sample of the knowledge provided by systematic reviews, to determine what support they can provide for an evidence-informed approach to teaching about software engineering practice. Method: We undertook a tertiary study (a mapping study of systematic reviews) covering the period to the end of 2015. We identifi ed and catalogued those reviews that had fi ndings or made recommendations that were considered relevant to teaching about industry practice. Results: We examined a sample of 276 systematic reviews, selecting 49 for which we could clearly identify practice-oriented fi ndings and recommendations that were supported by the data analysis provided in the review. We have classified these against established software engineering education knowledge categories and discuss the extent and forms of knowledge provided for each category. Conclusion: While systematic reviews can provide knowledge that can inform teaching about practice, relatively few systematic reviews present the outcomes in a form suitable for this purpose. Using a suitable format for presenting a summary of outcomes could improve this. Additionally, the increasing number of published systematic reviews suggests that there is a need for greater coordination regarding the cataloguing of their findings and recommendations.