Increasing cybersecurity investments in private sector firms

The primary objective of this article is to develop an economics-based analytical framework for assessing the impact of government incentives/regulations designed to offset the tendency to underinvest in cybersecurity related activities by private sector firms. The analysis provided in the article shows that the potential for government incentives/regulations to increase cybersecurity investments by private sector firms is dependent on the following two fundamental issues: (i) whether or not firms are utilizing the optimal mix of inputs to cybersecurity, and (ii) whether or not firms are able, and willing, to increase their investments in cybersecurity activities. The implications of these findings are also discussed in this article, as well as a formal analysis of these implications. In addition, this article provides a discussion of existing actions by the US federal government that should be more effectively utilized before, or at least in conjunction with, considering new government incentives/regulations for increasing cybersecurity investments by private sector firms.