Journal of Governance and Regulation / Volume 12, Issue 3, Special Issue, 2023 377 MALWARE VICTIMISATION AND ORGANISATIONAL SURVIVAL: A MULTI-METHOD EXPLORATION OF EMERGING MARKET James Ajor Ogar * , John Thompson Okpa ** , Thelma Aya Abang * , Fredrick Awhen Opoh *** , Francis Abul Uyang * , Bassey Ballantyne Ikpeme **** , Rosemary Ine Eneji * , Augustine Eze Bassey * , Patrick Owan Bisong * , Chukwudi Charles Ezikeudu * , Edem Ebong ***** * Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria ** Corresponding author, Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Contact details: University of Calabar, Etagbor, PMB 1115 Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria *** Social Science Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria **** Department of Social Work, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria ***** Institute of Public Policy and Administration, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Abstract this paper: cite How to Ogar, J. A., Okpa, J. Abang, T., T. Opoh, A., F. A., Uyang, F. A., Ikpeme, B. B., Eneji, R. I., Bassey, A. E., Bisong, P. O., Ezikeudu, C. C., & Ebong, E. (2023). Malware victimisation and organisational survival: A multi-method exploration of emerging market [Special issue]. Journal of Governance & Regulation, 12(3), 377–388. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv12i3siart19 Copyright © 2023 The Authors This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/ ISSN Online: 2306-6784 ISSN Print: 2220-9352 Received: 15.05.2023 Accepted: 26.09.2023 JEL Classification: O1, O3, O4, L4 DOI: 10.22495/jgrv12i3siart19 The internet has gained widespread acceptance globally since its inception. However, the escalating threats associated with this acceptance are alarming, as cyber fraudsters continually imitate and execute grievous attacks on corporate entities. While much is known about the various dimensions of malware attacks and defense (Sharmeen et al., 2019), little attention has been given to how malware affects the socio-economic survival of organizations in Nigeria, particularly in Cross River State. This article aims to bridge this knowledge gap by presenting empirical evidence on how malware victimization impacts organizational survival in the study area. Through the use of questionnaires and in-depth interviews, a sample of 1,074 research participants, including bank staff, industrial workers, and telecommunication staff, was selected from Cross River State using a multi-stage sampling technique. The findings reveal a significant increase in malware victimization among corporate organizations in Cross River State, resulting in severe consequences for their socio-economic development. To mitigate these risks, the study recommends that security, implement organizations strengthen their network comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training programs for employees, adopt advanced detection and response technologies, and employ mobile security solutions or business internet traffic security measures to ensure their safety. Keywords: Corporate Organisations, Development, Malware, Cybercrime, Socio-Economic & Victimisation, Nigeria Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — J.A.O., J.T.O, and F.A.O.; Methodology — T.A.A., F.A.U., B.B.I., and C.C.E.; Validation — A.E.B.; Formal Analysis — R.I.E. and P.O.B.; Investigation — E.E.; Resources — T.A.A., R.I.E., and P.O.B.; Writing — Original Draft — J.A.O., J.T.O., and C.C.E.; Writing — Review & Editing — R.I.E.; Visualization — T.A.A., F.A.U., B.B.I., and P.O.B.; Supervision — T.A.A. and E.E. Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Acknowledgment: The Authors would like to express our utmost appreciation to Professor C. U. Ugwuoke and all the respondents who participated in this study.