The impacts of the cyber-trust program on the cybersecurity maturity of government entities in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Purpose This study aims to determine the impacts of the Bahrain Government framework [cyber-trust program (CTP)] on the cybersecurity maturity of government entities and how the CTP can impact the cybersecurity of government entities in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a quantitative and qualitative approach. The data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with the information technology experts in the Bahrain Government entities participating in the CTP. Also, quantitative data was obtained through a questionnaire distributed to relevant people in the information technology field. Findings The findings of this study suggest that the CTP had a significant impact on the cybersecurity assurance of the government entities that participated in the CTP; it increased the employees’ awareness, reduced the number of cyberattacks and optimized the available resources. The findings also highlighted the role of top management in the success of the implementation of the CTP. The results also ensure that the CTP’s maturity model affected the cybersecurity compliance of an organization and the implementation of cybersecurity policies and controls. Practical implications This study enhances cybersecurity researchers’ and practitioners’ understanding of the impact of the CTP and its components and evaluates its influence on Bahrain’s cybersecurity assurance. Originality/value This study implies that to achieve better cybersecurity, managers should focus on implementing the policies and controls provided by cybersecurity frameworks to enhance cybersecurity assurance.