Cloud-Based Project Information Management System Adoption: Cybersecurity Threats Faced by Developing Nations

Adopting Cloud-based Project Information Management Systems (PIMSs) in developing nations presents significant opportunities for improving project efficiency, collaboration, and data accessibility. However, cybersecurity threats remain a significant barrier to widespread adoption. Hence, this study examined cybersecurity threats facing developing nations’ adoption of cloud-based PIMSs. The study adopted a survey methodology, distributing 118 questionnaires to participants. Eighty-five responses were received and deemed suitable for analysis. The data collected were examined using multiple statistical techniques, including percentages, mean item scores, standard deviation, one-sample t-tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. This was to ensure a comprehensive assessment. The findings reveal that while cybersecurity threats exist, not all are perceived as critical concerns in the context of developing nations. Account hijacking and man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks were not considered among the most significant threats. However, threats such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, insecure application programming, unauthorised access and insider threats, data breaches, phishing attacks, and data loss and corruption were identified as more pressing. Hence, addressing these fundamental threats is crucial to ensuring the secure adoption of cloud-based PIMSs in developing nations. Therefore, the study recommends that stakeholders, including construction firms, policymakers, and technology providers, implement targeted cybersecurity strategies that address the most pressing threats. Proactive measures should be taken to mitigate the high-risk threats.