TY  - JOUR
T1  - A survey on college students’ cybersecurity awareness and education from the perspective of China
AU  - Tınmaz, Hasan
AU  - Guo, Hongbo
PY  - 2023
DA  - October
DO  - 10.17478/jegys.1323423
JF  - Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists
JO  - JEGYS
PB  - Genç Bilge Yayıncılık
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 2149-360X
SP  - 351
EP  - 367
VL  - 11
IS  - 3
LA  - en
AB  - As people increasingly rely on information and communication technology (ICT), a variety of cyber security issues are emerging, making improving cyber security awareness (CSA) an important topic. This quantitative study focuses on a group of college students from eight local public universities in China (n=1710) and aims to investigate their CSA and education levels using a 32-question questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and cross analysis were used to analyze the current situation related to cybersecurity in college. The results showed that nearly 50% of students spend more than four hours online, with female students spending more online time than males. Smartphones are currently the most popular devices, and spam is the most common issue they encounter. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and One-way ANOVA test were used to analyze the levels of CSA and education. For CSA, all students are still weak in their password practices. Male students have higher CSA levels in usage habit related to device and HTTP use, but female students perform better in social media. Majors do not make a significant difference in CSA, and freshmen perform better than juniors in device and HTTP application. Regarding cybersecurity education, almost all students believe that colleges need to strengthen information security education. Male students are more familiar with cybersecurity laws, and there are differences in the education methods chosen by students in different majors. Students majoring in computer-related fields prefer more specialized knowledge. This study not only provides valuable insights into the prevailing state of CSA among college students but also offers effective recommendations for enhancing cybersecurity education practices in colleges. The findings underscore the importance of addressing weaknesses in password practices and emphasize the need for comprehensive educational approaches that encompass various facets of cybersecurity. Institutions should consider tailoring their instructional strategies to meet the unique needs of students from diverse academic disciplines. Moreover, fostering awareness of cybersecurity laws and regulations is crucial for all students, regardless of their major.
KW  - Cybersecurity
KW  - Information security
KW  - College students
KW  - Information security education
KW  - higher education
CR  - Ahmed, N., Kulsum, U., Bin Azad, I., Momtaz, A. S., Haque, M. E., & Rahman, M. S. (2017). Cybersecurity Awareness Survey: An analysis from bangladesh perspective. 2017 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC). https://doi.org/10.1109/r10-htc.2017.8289074
CR  - Al-Janabi, S., & Al-Shourbaji, I. (2016). A study of cyber security awareness in educational environment in the Middle East. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 15(01), 1650007. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0219649216500076
CR  - Al-Ghamdi, M. I. (2021). Effects of knowledge of cyber security on prevention of attacks. Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.04.098.
CR  - Alharbi, T., & Tassaddiq, A. (2021). Assessment of cybersecurity awareness among students of Majmaah University. Big Data and Cognitive Computing, 5(2), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/bdcc5020023
CR  - Alotaibi, F., Furnell, S., Stengel, I., & Papadaki, M. (2016). A survey of cyber-security awareness in Saudi Arabia. 2016 11th International Conference for Internet Technology and Secured Transactions (ICITST). https://doi.org/10.1109/icitst.2016.7856687
CR  - Alqahtani, M. A. (2022). Factors Affecting Cybersecurity Awareness among University Students. Applied Sciences, 12(5), 2589. doi:10.3390/app12052589.
CR  - Annansingh, F., & Veli, T. (2016). An investigation into risks awareness and e-safety needs of children on the internet: A study of Devon, UK. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 13(2), 147–165.https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-09-2015-0029.
CR  - CNNIC (2022). The 49th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China. http://www.cnnic.net.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/ .
CR  - Corallo, A., Lazoi, M., Lezzi, M., & Luperto, A. (2022). Cybersecurity awareness in the context of the Industrial Internet of Things: A Systematic Literature Review. Computers in Industry, 137, 103614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2022.103614
CR  - Edgar, Thomas W., & Manz David O.. (2017). Research Methods for Cyber Security - 1st Edition, [eBook edition]. 
Elsevier. https://www.elsevier.com/books/research-methods-for-cyber-security/edgar/978-0-12-805349-2.
CR  - Elbedour, S., Alqahtani, S., El Sheikh Rihan, I., Bawalsah, J. A., Booker-Ammah, B., & Turner, J. F. (2020). Cyberbullying: Roles of school psychologists and school counselors in addressing a pervasive social justice issue. Children and Youth Services Review, 109, 104720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104720
CR  - Gamreklidze, E. (2014). Cyber security in developing countries, a digital divide issue. Journal of International Communication, 20(2), 200–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/13216597.2014.954593
CR  - Garba, A. A., Siraj, M. M., Othman, S. H., & Musa, M. A. (2020). A Study on Cybersecurity Awareness Among Students in Yobe State University, Nigeria: A Quantitative Approach. Int. J. Emerg. Technol, 11(5), 41-49. https://www.academia.edu/download/64160387/ A Study on Cybersecurity Awareness.pdf
CR  - Grassegger, T., & Nedbal, D. (2021). The role of employees’ information security awareness on the intention to resist social engineering. Procedia Computer Science, 181, 59-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.01.103
CR  - Hart, S., Margheri, A., Paci, F., & Sassone, V. (2020). Riskio: A serious game for cyber security awareness and Education. Computers & Security, 95, 101827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2020.101827
CR  - Ho, S. M., & Gross, M. (2021). Consciousness of cyber defense: A collective activity system for developing Organizational Cyber Awareness. Computers & Security, 108, 102357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2021.102357
CR  - Hunt, T. (n.d.). Cyber Security Awareness in Higher Education. ScholarWorks@CWU, https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2016/cob/1/
CR  - Katsikeas, S., Johnson, P., Ekstedt, M., & Lagerström, R. (2021). Research communities in cyber security: A comprehensive literature review. Computer Science Review, 42, 100431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosrev.2021.100431
CR  - Klein, G., Zwilling, M., & Lesjak, D. (2022). A comparative study in Israel and Slovenia regarding the awareness, knowledge, and behavior regarding cyber security. Research Anthology on Business Aspects of Cybersecurity, 424-439. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3698-1.ch020
CR  - Kritzinger, E., Bada, M., & Nurse, J. R. (2017). A study into the Cybersecurity Awareness Initiatives for school learners in South Africa and the UK. Information Security Education for a Global Digital Society, 110–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58553-6_10
CR  - Li, N., Tsigkanos, C., Jin, Z., Hu, Z., & Ghezzi, C. (2020). Early validation of Cyber–Physical Space Systems via multi-concerns integration. Journal of Systems and Software, 170, 110742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2020.110742
CR  - Liu, S. H., & Chen, J. (2021). Research on countermeasures of college Students' personal information security protection -- taking telecom network fraud as an example. University: Research and Management, (6), 73-74.
https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=3uoqIhG8C44YLTlOAiTRKibYlV5Vjs7iJTKGjg9uTdeTsOI_ra5_XVaXU2rLKrXTEU207jWtzbBARioEJ3Wr0mJV9M5ade9a&uniplatform=NZKPT
CR  - Liu, X. H., & Chao, C. X. (2011). A survey of college students' awareness of cyber security and the current situation of education. Vocational Education Forum, 14, 94-96. https://kns.cnki.net/kcms2/article/abstract?v=3uoqIhG8C44YLTlOAiTRKgchrJ08w1e7tvjWANqNvp-BLuadic5ChiGVwneXb4f8CKUJYzs-wqeQYvSnPiIF8eG9lpdsI4_W&uniplatform=NZKPT
CR  - Maennel, K., Mäses, S., Sütterlin, S., Ernits, M., & Maennel, O. (2019). Using technical cybersecurity exercises in university admissions and skill evaluation. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 52(19), 169-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.12.169
CR  - Matyokurehwa, K., Rudhumbu, N., Gombiro, C., & Mlambo, C. (2020). Cybersecurity awareness in Zimbabwean Universities: Perspectives from the students. Security and Privacy, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/spy2.141
CR  - Moallem, A. (2018). Cyber security awareness among college students. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 79-87. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94782-2_8
CR  - Morrison, J. (2019, September 20). Assessing questionnaire reliability. Retrieved May 7, 2022, from https://select-statistics.co.uk/blog/assessing-questionnaire-reliability/.
CR  - Okesola, J. O., Onashoga, A., & Ogunbanwo, A. (2016). An investigation into users’ information security awareness on social networks in south western Nigeria. South African Journal of Information Management, 18(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v18i1.721
CR  - Quayyum, F., Cruzes, D. S., & Jaccheri, L. (2021). Cybersecurity awareness for children: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 30, 100343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2021.100343
CR  - Rahim, N. H., Hamid, S., Mat Kiah, M. L., Shamshirband, S., & Furnell, S. (2015). A systematic review of approaches to assessing cybersecurity awareness. Kybernetes, 44(4), 606–622. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-12-2014-0283
CR  - Rajesh Chandarman, & Brett Van Niekerk. (2017). Students' cybersecurity awareness at a private tertiary educational institution. The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC), (20). https://doi.org/10.23962/10539/23572
CR  - Ratten, V. (2015). A cross-cultural comparison of online behavioural advertising knowledge, online privacy concerns and social networking using the technology acceptance model and social cognitive theory. Journal of Science & Technology Policy Management, 6(1), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1108/jstpm-06-2014-0029
CR  - Sarathchandra, D., Haltinner, K., & Lichtenberg, N. (2016). College students' cybersecurity risk perceptions, awareness, and practices. 2016 Cybersecurity Symposium (CYBERSEC). https://doi.org/10.1109/cybersec.2016.018
CR  - Senthilkumar, K., & Easwaramoorthy, S. (2017). A survey on cyber security awareness among college students in Tamil nadu. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 263, 042043. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/263/4/042043
CR  - Sun, W. (2018). Investigation and Research on Network Security Consciousness of University students in Dalian (Master’s thesis, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China). https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbname=CMFD201901&filename=1018718387.nh.
CR  - Xu, D. H., Zeng, L., Wang, R. J., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Investigation on network security awareness and protection skills of postgraduates. China University of science & Technology (z1), 125-128. https://doi.org/10.16209/j.cnki.cust.2019.z1.033
UR  - https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.1323423
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3247024
ER  -