Abstract

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks represent one of the most disruptive forms of large-scale cyber threats, yet countries experience substantial variation in DDoS attack intensity. Drawing on Routine Activity Theory and cultural tightness theory, this study examines how national culture shapes the relationship between economic wealth and cyber vulnerability. We argue that while economic resources expand digital infrastructure and increase the pool of attractive cyber targets, cultural orientations condition how effectively societies manage the resulting cyber risks. Specifically, uncertainty avoidance weakens the positive relationship between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and DDoS attack intensity by promoting risk-reducing behaviors and protective practices, whereas cultural tightness strengthens this protective effect through stronger norm enforcement and institutional discipline. Using daily DDoS attack data from 57 countries and econometric analyses, we find support for these arguments. Our findings demonstrate that the relationship between national wealth and cyber vulnerability depends not only on structural resources, but also on how societies enforce culturally preferred behaviors. This study contributes to national-level cybersecurity research by integrating structural opportunity, cultural values, and norm enforcement to explain cross-national variation in cyber threats.

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