Exploring Cybersecurity Awareness Among Students from Two Latin American Universities: An Empirical Analysis

In the contemporary digital landscape, safeguarding the digital future has become a matter of paramount importance. Cybersecurity, a critical concern in the present interconnected world, highlights the vulnerability of students to various cyber threats due to a lack of awareness. This empirical study delves into the realm of cybersecurity awareness and cyber hygiene practices among university students in Latin America. Employing the Cyber Hygiene Inventory (CHI), a comprehensive analysis of cybersecurity practices and perceptions is undertaken. A randomized sample of 53 students from two Latin American universities constitutes the study cohort. The research unfolds in three principal stages: questionnaire design, data collection, and data analysis. The survey in the questionnaire evaluates the five dimensions of cyber hygiene. The outcomes unveil a spectrum of responses, spanning from highly conscious students exhibiting commendable cyber hygiene practices to those evincing limited comprehension and suboptimal practices. The significance of maintaining hygienic device storage, ensuring secure information exchange, cultivating responsible social media usage, and implementing robust authentication mechanisms is underscored. Notably, this study accentuates the exigency of cybersecurity education and awareness initiatives within Latin American universities. The assessment of satisfaction levels with cyber hygiene and cybersecurity knowledge yields a continuum from Very Dissatisfied (5.66%) to Dissatisfied (18.86%), Neutral (47.17%), Satisfied (26.42%), and Very Satisfied (1.89%). The recommendation emerges for the implementation of comprehensive programs that nurture awareness, illuminate potential threats, and advocate sound cyber hygiene practices. These findings contribute to the comprehension of cybersecurity awareness among Latin American university students and underscore the perpetual significance of research and proactive measures in this swiftly evolving domain.