The Nexus Between Sanctions and Neutralization in Information Security

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Presented at HICSS 2025 by

Sunitha Prabhu

Peter Dell

Employees’ failure to comply with information security protocols and procedures is a major concern for organizations. Literature has examined the direct effects of both sanctions and neutralization on security intentions; however, there is minimal literature on their interaction. This research investigates the interaction between sanctions and neutralization by focusing on two prevalent behaviors: using removable devices and opening unsafe links. By analyzing survey data from 246 UK employees, we aim to ascertain whether there is an interaction effect between sanctions and neutralization, alongside their direct effects on compliance intentions. Our findings reveal a significant interaction effect, which enhances the explained variance. These results suggest that while neutralization weakens the impact of sanctions, enforcing stringent sanctions can effectively counteract the negative impact of neutralization on compliance. This study is the first to offer both theoretical and practical insights into the interactions between sanctions and neutralization