Self-control, organizational context, and rational choice in Internet abuses at work

Cyber criminals use the Internet as a major platform to launch malware and social engineering attacks. Employees’ violation of Internet use policy (IUP) elevates a firm's security risks from cyber-attacks. In the literature, such deviant behavior is generally considered to be the result of a cost-benefit calculus. However, this study shows that dispositional factors such as self-control and procedural justice moderate the cost-benefit calculus. We conclude that self-control and procedural justice need to be integrated with the Rational Choice Theory to better explain Internet abuses at work.