Cybersecurity Knowledge and Awareness as Predictors of Safe Computing Practices among First-Year University Students in South-East Nigeria

The rapid expansion of internet access and digital learning platforms in Nigerian tertiary institutions has increased first-year students’ exposure to cyber threats, including phishing, identity theft, malware, and social engineering. This study investigated cybersecurity knowledge and awareness as predictors of safe computing practices among first-year university students in Southeast Nigeria. Guided by Protection Motivation Theory, the study adopted a correlational survey design. The population comprised all first-year undergraduate students admitted into public universities in Southeast Nigeria during the 2025/2026 academic session, estimated at approximately 38,600 students across the six sampled institutions based on institutional admission records. A multistage sampling technique selected 384 students from six public universities across the five Southeast states. Data were collected using a validated 42-item Cybersecurity Knowledge, Awareness and Safe Computing Practices Questionnaire (CKASCPQ), with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.88. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and independent-samples t-test at 0.05 significance. Results showed that cybersecurity knowledge (β = 0.41, p < 0.05) and awareness (β = 0.36, p < 0.05) significantly predicted safe computing practices and jointly explained 52.3% of the variance (R² = 0.523, F(2, 381) = 208.47, p < 0.001). Gender differences were not significant (t(382) = 1.42, p = 0.157). The study recommends mandatory cybersecurity literacy during orientation, sustained awareness campaigns, and practical cyber-hygiene modules in university curricula.