1 > REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MANUSCRIPT ID NUMBER (DOUBLE-CLICK HERE TO EDIT) < DEFINING THE BEAUTY OF CYBER HYGIENE: A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK *Amily Fikry, Muhammad Iskandar Hamzah, Zuhal Hussein, Azreen Joanna Abdul and Khairul Azmi Abu Bakar Member, IEEE Abstract— The Internet's widespread influence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a surge in remote work and increased online activities, simultaneously amplifying the risk of cyberattacks. In response to this global shift, cyber hygiene emerges as a crucial asset in preventing cybercrimes at individual and organizational levels. This paper provides a comprehensive definition of cyber hygiene, emphasizing its role in promoting online health through ingrained practices, knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. Distinguishing cyber hygiene from cybersecurity, it situates the former as an integral facet within the broader cybersecurity framework. The study categorizes cyber hygiene into two primary dimensions: data privacy, protection, and prevention, and online safety measures. It highlights the benefits of adopting robust cyber hygiene practices, including safeguarding personal information, preventing cyberattacks, protecting digital assets, and fostering a positive online reputation. The research underscores the manifold advantages of prioritizing cyber hygiene. Central to the argument is the pivotal role of cyber hygiene in mitigating the escalating risks associated with increased Internet reliance. It emphasizes the transformative impact of seamlessly integrating cyber hygiene into daily routines, advocating its incorporation into individual and organizational cybersecurity practices. The recommendations stress the critical role of cyber hygiene in minimizing system compromises, building trust in collaborative engineering environments, and safeguarding invaluable information. In navigating an era defined by heightened connectivity, understanding and actively implementing resilient cyber hygiene practices stand as imperative measures for fortifying the security of our digital landscape. Keyword— Cyber Hygiene, Cybersecurity, Malaysia, Review The authors would like to acknowledge Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for the financial support through the Geran Penyelidikan MyRA, Project File No: 600-RMC 5/3/GPM (117/2022). The authors would also like to express appreciation to the Islamic Digital Marketing Research Group, faculty and all team members for their excellent support of ensuring the completion of this research. (Corresponding Author: Amily Fikry) Amily Fikry, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Email: amily@uitm.edu.my. Muhammad Iskandar Hamzah, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Azreen Joanna Abdul, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Zuhal Hussein, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kelantan, Malaysia. Khairul Azmi Abu Bakar, Center for Cyber Security, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. I. INTRODUCTION HE availability of the Internet enables connectivity across borders for individuals and businesses, especially during the enforcement of strict lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has drove an inevitable surge in the use of the Internet and a shift towards a new normal of work or specifically, the remote work policy, which have propelled the growing research interest on the field of cyber hygiene. Following the pandemic, the increase in the Internet traffic has led to various implications, including the transition to remote work for employees, online learning for students, the increasing reliance on food and non-food delivery services and other service providers via mobile applications, higher demand for entertainment video and game contents hosted on digital streaming platforms, and forced interpersonal interactions in the virtual space [1]. The massive Internet consumption inevitably increases the risk of cyberattack; after all, human behavior is the main source of vulnerability in information system [2]. For instance, employees who work from home are likely to use a personal computer (shared with other users) or public or shared Wi-Fi and devices [3]. The substantial reliance on the Internet during this period has prompted the increasing adoption of network like virtual private network (VPN) and information and communication technology at all levels, especially at the organizational level [3]. With the increasing consumption of the Internet, the aspect of cyber hygiene at both individual and organizational levels has become a critical concern [4]. The concept of personal hygiene in the public health domain derives the term “cyber hygiene” [5]. To date, there has been no conclusive definition of cyber hygiene [6]. European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) described cyber hygiene as personal hygiene involving simple daily routines, practices, and regular checkups in the efforts of maintaining good online health condition. Various terms of cyber hygiene have been used interchangeably in research related to cybersecurity [7]. Furthermore, most prior studies focused on cybersecurity behavior and risk factors associated with cyber hygiene and overlooked the definition and elements of cyber hygiene. It is pivotal to holistically explore cyber hygiene, particularly on what cyber hygiene is and how it is measured, in order to attain cyber resilience [8]. Issues of cyber hygiene affect numerous organizations globally. The Wall Street Journal later studied 70 iOS applications in February and found that some of these T This article has been accepted for publication in IEEE Engineering Management Review. This is the author's version which has not been fully edited and content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/EMR.2024.3361023 © 2024 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission. See https://www.ieee.org/publications/rights/index.html for more information. Authorized licensed use limited to: UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA. 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