Cybersecurity in University Students: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The study deals with the analysis of information published in scientific literature, regarding the knowledge that university students have about cybersecurity. A systematic review methodology was applied considering the identification, evaluation, selection, and synthesis of articles published during 2018 to 2023; the search terms were: “awareness of university students in cybersecurity” or “cybersecurity college students’ awareness”. The search was carried out in databases such as Dial net, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. Twenty-five articles that are part of the present investigation were selected, of which, 76% have a descriptive-quantitative approach; the studies included undergraduate and postgraduate university students as participants, as well as companies, university personnel, students at higher institutes and full-time employees. The main findings show that the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria are the countries that publish the most on cybersecurity; likewise, the authors indicate that the “knowledge, attitude and behavior” on the part of students on cybersecurity issues are important and relevant aspects to reinforce in university students. It is concluded that very few countries address the issue from the perspective of cybersecurity knowledge and preventive actions, considering that the issue does not discriminate by faculty or specialty. Finally, the importance of considering in future applied research is identified; the theories of planned behavior and a measurement model of the level of qualifications achieved, as well as the verification of its effectiveness in terms of results.