Current information security behavior research assumes that lone individuals make a rational, informed decision about security technologies based on careful consideration of personally available information. We challenge this assumption by examining how the herd behavior influences users’ security decisions when coping with security threats. The results show that uncertainty about a security technology leads users to discount their own information and imitate others. We found that imitation tendency has a more substantial effect on security decisions than the personal perceived efficacy of the security technology. It is essential for researchers and managers to consider how the herd behavior effect influences users' security decisions.

当前的信息安全行为研究假设孤独的个人基于对个人可用信息的仔细考虑，对安全技术做出理性、知情的决定。我们通过检查群体行为在应对安全威胁时如何影响用户的安全决策来挑战这一假设。结果表明，安全技术的不确定性导致用户低估自己的信息并模仿他人。我们发现模仿倾向对安全决策的影响比个人对安全技术的感知效果的影响更大。研究人员和管理人员必须考虑从众行为效应如何影响用户的安全决策。