The role and importance of trust: A study of the conditions that generate and undermine sensitive information sharing

This article evaluates the role of trust in a specific area of security activity, sensitive information sharing. It begins by exploring the nature of trust, and then moves on to highlight on the one hand some of the security benefits when trust is evident, and on the other the risks that can accrue when trust is misplaced. It then moves on to report the findings from an empirical study by discussing how three key elements: process issues, people issues and technology can, when done well improve the security of information sharing, indeed, it can create additional security opportunities, and when done badly can undermine it. In conclusion the article asserts that the generation of trust is fundamental to effective sensitive information exchange but this poses real challenges including in deciding how much trust is appropriate.