Lena Yuryna Connolly

AUH Campus

PhD in Cyber Security, 2016, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
M.Sc. in Information Systems Management, 2010, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
Bachelor Degree in Economics, 2001, International Institution of Social and Labour Relations, Belarus

Lecturer and Teaching Assistant, National University of Ireland Galway, 2011-2014
Lecturer, National University of Ireland Galway, 2016
Research Fellow, University of Leeds, 2016-2019
Research Fellow, University College London, 2019-2020
Assistant Professor, University of Bradford, 2020
Assistant Professor, Zayed University, 2021-present

Developed data management system for Cancer Care West, Ireland, Galway, 2009
Developed data management system for Oughterard Soccer Club, Ireland, Galway, 2010
Developed data management system for St James National School Bushypark, Ireland, Galway, 2009-2011
Conducted numerous interviews with ransomware victims and police officers from UK’s cybercrime units. Based on the findings, wrote a confidential report for police officers on how to improve current law enforcement practices of responding to cyber-attacks. The report was shared with all cybercrime units (2019).

PECB Certified ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer
PECB Certified Trainer
Guest Editor at ACM Digital Threats: Research and Practice, Special Issue on Ransomware (July 2021-present)
Reviewer for European Journal of Information Systems, International Conference on Information Systems Development, Americas Conference on Information Systems, International Conference on Information Systems, Information Technology & People

Connolly, L., Wall, D., Lang, M. and Oddson, B. (2020) “An empirical study of ransomware attacks on organizations: An assessment of severity and salient factors affecting vulnerability, Journal of Cybersecurity, 6 (1), pp. 1-18
Connolly, L. and Wall, D. (2019) “The rise of crypto-ransomware in a changing cybercrime landscape: Taxonomising countermeasures”, Computers & Security, vol. 87, pp. 1-18.
Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Wall, D. (2019) “Information security behavior: A cross-cultural comparison of Irish and US employees”, Information Systems Management, 36 (4), pp. 306-322.
Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Wall, D. (2017) “Organisational culture, procedural countermeasures, and employee security behaviour: A qualitative study”, Information & Computer Security, 25 (2), pp. 118-136.

Connolly, L., Borrion, H. (2020) “Your money or your business: Decision-making processes in ransomware attacks”, International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2020)
Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Tygar, D. (2017) “The impact of procedural security countermeasures on employee security behaviour: A qualitative study”, 26th International Conference on Information Systems Development (ISD 2017)
Connolly, L., Lang, M., Gathegi, J. and Tygar, D. (2016) “The effect of organisational culture on employee security behaviour: A qualitative study”, 10th International Symposium on Human Aspects of Information Security & Assurance
Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Tygar, D. (2015) “Investigation of employee security behaviour: A ground theory approach”, 30th IFIP TC-11 SEC International Information Security and Privacy Conference
Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Tygar, D. (2014) “Managing employee security behaviour in organisations: The role of cultural factors and individual values”, 29th IFIP TC-11 SEC International Information Security and Privacy Conference

Connolly, L., Lang, M. and Tygar, D. (2018) “Employee security behaviour: The importance of education and policies in organisational settings”, Advances in Information Systems Development Methods, Tools and Management

Recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship 2014-2015 – PhD visit to University of California Berkeley
Recipient of the National University of Ireland Galway/University of California Berkeley Scholarship 2012 – PhD visit to University of California Berkeley
Recipient of the 26th International Conference on Information Systems Development best paper award