PROCJENA NIVOA JAVNE SVIJESTI I POZNAVANJA RIZIKA KIBERNETIČKE SIGURNOSTI U SISTEMIMA UPRAVLJANJA I KONTROLE KRITIČNE INFRASTRUKTURE U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI
ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF CYBERSECURITY RISKS IN THE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEMS OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Summary/Abstract: This study represents the first empirical research in Bosnia and Herzegovina that analyzes the level of public awareness, knowledge, and risk perception related to cybersecurity within the management and control systems of critical infrastructure (Operational Technology – OT / Industrial Control Systems – ICS). Although technical and engineering protection measures are fundamental, the human factor—awareness, trust, and perception among the population—remains crucial for strengthening resilience and safeguarding critical infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research was conducted between September 1 and October 31, 2025, through an online questionnaire, resulting in 206 valid responses. Statistical data analysis was performed in RStudio using the R programming language for statistical computations. The results show that the public in Bosnia and Herzegovina correctly perceives the seriousness and importance of cybersecurity threats and possesses a relatively good level of general knowledge about critical infrastructure protection. Furthermore, the public expresses confidence in the capability, readiness, and expertise of the CERT BiH team (which is still not fully operational), while showing considerably less trust in institutional protection and preparedness. Most IT professionals operating in the field of critical infrastructure believe that cybersecurity training is highly beneficial, whereas the comparative analysis between the risk perception of IT experts and citizens did not reveal a statistically significant difference. The findings also emphasize the need to strengthen education and media visibility regarding the importance of cybersecurity for OT/ICS systems. The results of this study may serve as a starting point and foundation for developing national training programs and strategies aimed at enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Details
• Contents