The influence of social education level on cybersecurity awareness and behaviour: a comparative study of university students and working graduates

Abstract

A multitude of studies have suggested potential factors that influence internet security awareness (ISA). Some, for example, used GDP and nationality to explain different ISA levels in other countries but yielded inconsistent results. This study proposed an extended knowledge-attitude-behaviour (KAB) model, which postulates an influence of the education level of society at large is a moderator to the relationship between knowledge and attitude. Using exposure to a full-time working environment as a proxy for the influence, it was hypothesized that significant differences would be found in the attitude and behaviour dimensions across groups with different conditions of exposure and that exposure to full-time work plays a moderating role in KAB. To test the hypotheses, a large-scale survey adopting the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q) was conducted with three groups of participants, namely 852 Year 1-3 students, 325 final-year students (age = 18-25) and 475 full-time employees (age = 18-50) in two cities of China. MANOVA and subsequent PROCESS regression analyses found a significant negative moderating effect of work exposure, which confirmed the proposed model. However, the effect was more pervasive than expected and moderation was found in the interaction between work exposure and all three ISA dimensions. The social influence does not only reshape the cybersecurity attitude of the highly educated, but also knowledge and behaviour. Findings contribute theoretically, methodologically and practically, offering novel perspectives on ISA research and prompting new strategies to respond to human factors.

Cybersecurity Awareness and Training (CAT) Framework for Remote Working Employees

“…Hong et al [25] measured the impact of education level of great societies to moderate the correlation in the middle of knowledge and attitude by using the knowledge-attitudebehavior (KAB) model. Sabillon [26] introduced a model to evaluate the application and support of the cybersecurity awareness training model (CATRAM), constructed based on multiple case studies in Canadian higher education organizations.…”

“…Physical and online students survey [25] Social education level on cybersecurity awareness and behavior They measure the impact of the education level of the great societies to moderate the correlation in the middle of knowledge and attitude by using the knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) model.…”

How Education Level Influences Internet Security Knowledge, Behaviour, and Attitude: A Comparison among Undergraduates, Postgraduates and Working Graduates

“…According to the ndings of the preceding study, learners' attitudes toward cybersecurity would be in uenced by their internal education level and external environment, which would eventually change their internet behaviours. Furthermore, education level had a positive effect and work exposure time had a negative effect on a person's ISA [7,9].…”

“…Although Parson et al [6] acknowledged in their initial HAIS-Q proposal that other social factors should be considered when using the KAB model or HAIS-Q in future research, there was no easy way to quantify social in uence. To adapt the framework, Hong et al [7] proposed an extended model of KAB (see Figure I), which suggested that more social contact at work implied a decrease in SEL.…”

“…As a result, SEL could be used as a factor to quantify external in uence, including social in uence and national context. SEL is concerned with how the general education level of an internet user's immediate circle, such as family, friends, and colleagues, in uences the user's cybersecurity behaviours [7].…”