This review explores the problems Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other cyber professionals face when defending their organization against cyberattacks. Using a Cyber Defense Grid, which was developed based on military science and cybersecurity concepts and terminology, we coded 125 articles published in Information Systems (IS) journals. We also employed three avenues (i.e., lenses) from cybernetic theory to frame the coding results to derive cyber defense strategies. In particular, we propose three strategic cyber defense modes: reactive, heuristic, and proactive. Taken together, these three modes suggest ways in which organizations can react strategically within the whole cyber defense domain.

The “Impact” series has often emphasized the importance of size and volume to survive in software and IT. But what if the size of your country is small and you face the same cyberthreats as much larger countries in the world? That is the case with small states that face the same cyberattacks while often having less means to defend themselves. You cannot grow a small state into a large state just to be able to defend yourself better against cyberattacks. What you can do is explained in this column.—Les Hatton and Michiel van Genuchten

In this exploratory study, we deliberately pull apart the Artificial from the Intelligence, the material from the human.We first assessed the existing technological controls available to Information Security Managers (ISMs) to ensure their in-depth defense strategies.Based on the AI watch taxonomy, we then discuss each of the 15 technologies and their potential impact on the transformation of jobs in the field of security (i.e., AI trainers, AI explainers and AI sustainers).Additionally, in a pilot study we collect the evaluation and the narratives of the employees (n=6) of a small financial institution in a focus group session.We particularly focus on their perception of the role of AI systems in the future of cyber security.

Ensuring surgeons are well-trained in various skills is of paramount importance to patient safety. Surgical simulators were introduced to laparoscopy training during the last 2 decades for basic skills training. The main drawback of current simulation-based laparoscopy training is their lack of true representation of the intro-operative experience. To create a complete surgical surrounding, the required amount of resources is demanding. Moreover, organizing immersive training with surgical teams burdens daily clinical routines. High-end virtual reality (VR) headsets bring an opportunity to generate an immersive virtual OR with accessible and affordable expenses. Pilot studies reveal that personalization and localization are key needs of the virtual operating room (VOR). They are therefore key in this study. The focus of this study was to explore the effect of different human factors, such as domain knowledge, culture, and familiarity of VR technologies, on the perception of VOR experience. A human-centered design approach was applied to investigate the presence and usability of a VOR. Sixty-four surgical practitioners joined the study in the Netherlands and India. The surgeons were referred to as “experts” and surgical trainees as “novices.” The VOR system we used is composed of a laparoscopic simulator, a graphic virtual OR surrounding, and an Oculus Rift VR headset. Participants conducted the “complete Lapchol” task with the VOR. Afterward, four questionnaires were used to collect subjective ratings on presence and usability. Participant’s qualitative feedback was collected using a semi-structural interview as the final stage. Results showed the surgical knowledge only affected perceived mental demand when using a VOR. The cultural difference would alter the rating on the majority of items in these questionnaires. VR experience mainly affected the judgment on presence including “quality of interface” and “reversible actions.” The interaction effects between surgical knowledge either with culture difference or with VR experience were obvious. This study demonstrated the influences of cultural differences on the perception of immersion and usability. Integrating immersive technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality to human-centered design opens a brand new horizon for health care and similar professional training.

This viewpoint article describes two research topics under-researched by Information Systems (IS) researchers: Robotics and IT addiction. These topics offer great potential for IS researchers in terms of business and societal impacts and it would behoove IS researchers to study them more fully. The aspects of the research topics that are related to IS are discussed and potential research areas and questions are suggested.

Virtual reality (VR) training is widely used in several minimal invasive surgery (MIS) training curricula for procedural training. However, VR training in its current state lack immersive training environments, such as using head-mounted displays that is implemented in military or aviation training and even entertainment. The virtual operating room simulation setup (VORSS) is explored in this study to determine the effectiveness of immersive training in MIS. Twenty-eight surgeons and surgical trainees performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the VORSS comprising of a head-mounted 360-degree realistic OR surrounding on a VR laparoscopic simulator. The VORSS replicated a full setup of instruments and surgical team-members as well as some of the distractions occurring during surgical procedures. Questionnaires were followed by semi-structured interviews to collect the data. Experts and novices found the VORSS to be intuitive and easy to use (p = 0.001). The outcome of the usability test, applying QUESI and NASA-TLX, reflected the usability of the VORSS (p < 0.05), at the cognitive level, which indicates a good sense of immersion and satisfaction, when performing the procedure within VORSS. The need for personalized experience within the setup was strongly noted from most of the participants. The VORSS for procedural training has the potential to become a useful tool to provide immersive training in MIS surgery. Further optimizing of the VORSS realism and introduction of distractors in the OR should result in an improvement of the system.

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) laparoscopy simulation is emerging to enhance the attractiveness and realism of surgical procedural training. This study analyses the usability and presence of a Virtual Operating Room (VOR) setup via user evaluation and sets out the key elements for an immersive environment during a laparoscopic procedural training. In the VOR setup, a VR headset displayed a 360-degree computer-generated Operating Room (OR) around a VR laparoscopic simulator during laparoscopy procedures. Thirty-seven surgeons and surgical trainees performed the complete cholecystectomy task in the VOR. Questionnaires (i.e., Localized Postural Discomfort scale, Questionnaire for Intuitive Use, NASA-Task Load Index, and Presence Questionnaire) followed by a semi-structured interview were used to collect the data. The participants could intuitively adapt to the VOR and were satisfied when performing their tasks (M=3.90, IQR=0.70). The participants, particularly surgical trainees, were highly engaged to accomplish the task. Despite the higher mental workload on four subscales (p < 0.05), the surgical trainees had a lower effort of learning (4 vs 3.33, p < 0.05) compared to surgeons. The participants experienced very slight discomfort in seven body segments (0.59-1.16). In addition, they expected improvements for team interaction and personalized experience within the setup. The VOR showed potential to become a useful tool in providing immersive training during laparoscopy procedure simulation based on the usability and presence noted in the study. Future developments of user interfaces, VOR environment, team interaction and personalization should result in improvements of the system.

Despite all the software systems we have seen, both in IEEE Software's columns and through our professional experience, periodically, something happens in the world of software engineering that really takes us by surprise. The last time we were in this position was after the revelation of software "cheats," that is, algorithms deliberately introduced into a system with the specific purpose of misleading the general public and certification agencies on the nature of system emissions.8 This time, we feel that we must comment on the equally startling revelations emerging about the interactions among software, management, and requirements in the sad case of the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes.

Risk is a central aspect of health condition because attitudes towards risk may influence the inclination to adopt behaviours that can influence health condition. Taking preventive health care measures or purchasing a private health insurance are examples of decisions individuals make based on their preferences. This study analysed the relationship between health condition and behaviour under conditions of uncertainty and examined personal characteristics related to risk behaviour. Data was obtained from a survey on a representative sample of the Dutch adult population (n=2,822) conducted between May and June of 2014. Risk attitude was assessed through a self-reported scale and risk behaviours through a simulated lottery game, both included in the same survey. The relationship between risk attitudes and behaviours was examined, as well as certain socio-economic variables, including health condition, demographic characteristics, social status, and confidence in government institutions. Surveyed participants perceived themselves as risk-avoiding. However, their behaviour tended to be risk-seeking when playing lottery games, even when they faced potential (but limited) economic losses. Participants with poorer mental health condition tended to be less risk-inclined, which was not the case for participants who reported poor general health status. Participants feeling a higher satisfaction with their lives were willing to take greater risks in the lottery games. These findings allow for understanding risk behaviour as the interaction between personal perception of risk attitude and the assessment of risk associated to a specific situation. This assessment may be directly modulated by one's state of mind and not by physical health condition.

Studies of decision-making in High Reliability Organizations as supported by Information Technology have mostly pertained to the cold context, that is, the planning and briefing tasks that precede intervention. Meanwhile, the degree of elasticity required of High Reliability Teams during critical processes is key to stabilizing team performance and can be enhanced through the use of technology. However, off-the-shelf technologies are often used in organizations without due consideration of their impact on task interdependence and affordance. This article presents the results from a three-step explorative field study that investigated the effects of the imbrication between human (e.g., users) and material (e.g., technology) agencies on the decision-making processes used by a police force. Particularly, we address the impact on the individual, collective, and shared affordances of mobile technology (i.e., smartphone) in terms of the daily work routine of officers on the streets. Teams of police officers were shadowed during their daily work for a period of 80hours. This article presents the findings in the form of four vignettes. The approach used proved useful for determining the affordance of technology in relation to task interdependence on micro-processes and decision-making.

Applications of Information Technologies (ITs) are increasing in the healthcare domain. ITs have been proven to be a support for the dissemination of knowledge and training amongst specialists in the use of computer-aided surgery [2]. The development of new technologies advances care opportunities for patients, e.g., improving patient well-being by reducing pain through clinical investigation [6]. Recent developments in ITs towards a digital hospital [8] address medical practitioners and patients within the walls of the hospital. Little attention has been given to crossing these walls, for example, supporting relatives of hospitalized patients. This column presents an example of traditional boundaries of the hospital disappearing by the use of standard ITs. It explores the potential benefit brought by external system integration in the connecting area of Health Informatics/Telematics.

Nowadays, mobile technology plays an essential role during police emergency response duties. This article presents the result of an ethnographic research in progress. Police officers were shadowed during their shifts (70 hours of observation) in cases of time-pressured incidents. We analyze the entanglement between the material and human agencies while the police officers were responding to two incidents (a holdup and a burglary). We assess the effect of technological constraints and affordances on human mindfulness. Mindfulness is important to achieve a successful collaborative response to an emergency where multiple High Reliability Teams are involved. When technology is not used to its full potential, our results show that it hinders collaboration between teams. Additionally, the results show the amount of time pressure affects the level of mindfulness among police officers.