Forfitt, Melissa Ann (2022) What is the Level of Cyber Security Awareness Amongst Young Adults Aged 16 to 18 in the UK? Masters thesis, York St John University.

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Abstract

Technology is becoming more integrated into our lives by the day. With the COVID-19 global pandemic, this has become even more prominent with society having a heavier reliance on technology. This research aimed to understand the level of cyber security awareness amongst young adults between the ages of 16 and 18 in the UK, to determine whether this age demographic understand the security risks of emerging technologies and how to react to cyber threats. The methodology for this research involved using the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q) to survey young adults who live in the UK. This questionnaire covers the spectrum of cyber security by defining cyber security into seven key categories: Password Management, Email Use, Internet Use, Social Media, Mobile Devices, Information Handling, and Incident Reporting. The results of the questionnaire allowed us to assess a participant’s level of cyber security awareness. In addition to the HAIS-Q questions, demographic questions related to age and gender were asked in addition to parents’ education and free school meals, to determine the socioeconomic status of participants. These questions were asked as an aim of this research was to test whether a person’s level of cyber security awareness is affected by their age, gender, or socioeconomic status. Participants were recruited online via forums, social media, and academic research participant recruitment boards. In total, 811 participants took part in the research, with 691 valid responses. The results of the research showed that young adults have an average level of cyber security awareness, with potential action that needs to be taken to improve the overall level of cyber security awareness. An intervention strategy is recommended to improve this level, such as providing general cyber security awareness training in schools and colleges.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Status:	Published
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General)
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/7883

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