The Digital Responsibility Index: Quantifying Perceived Multi-Layered Responsibility in Cybersecurity
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In the evolving digital landscape, cybersecurity responsibility extends beyond technical safeguards to include individual behavior, organizational governance, and societal impact. This study introduces the Digital Responsibility Index (DRI), a novel metric that quantifies multi-layered accountability across four domains: technical, individual, organizational, and societal. Data were collected through scenario-based Likert-scale surveys with 120 cybersecurity professionals, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with senior leaders. Results reveal that while technical and organizational responsibilities are consistently prioritized, individual and societal accountability remain under-recognized. Leadership engagement significantly enhances responsibility scores across all layers. The proposed DRI framework provides a measurable and potentially actionable basis for assessing and improving responsible cybersecurity practices, while the present findings represent an initial empirical validation of the framework.
Author: Mircea Ţălu
Institution: Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221786942
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