# Decision-Making and Biases in Cybersecurity Capability Development: Evidence from a Simulation Game Experiment

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.01031 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1707.01031/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 4 Jul 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [The Role of Machine Learning in Cybersecurity](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.09707/) (2022)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We developed a simulation game to study the effectiveness of decision-makers in overcoming two complexities in building cybersecurity capabilities: potential delays in capability development; and uncertainties in predicting cyber incidents. Analyzing 1,479 simulation runs, we compared the performances of a group of experienced professionals with those of an inexperienced control group. Experienced subjects did not understand the mechanisms of delays any better than inexperienced subjects; however, experienced subjects were better able to learn the need for proactive decision-making through an iterative process. Both groups exhibited similar errors when dealing with the uncertainty of cyber incidents. Our findings highlight the importance of training for decision-makers with a focus on systems thinking skills, and lay the groundwork for future research on uncovering mental biases about the complexities of cybersecurity.