Cybersecurity Awareness in Schools: A Systematic Review of Practices, Challenges, and Target Audiences

This systematic literature review examines cybersecurity awareness in schools, focusing on effective practices, challenges, and future directions. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, peer-reviewed publications in English were sourced from ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Emerald, covering the period from 2019 to 2024. Studies were included if they focused on cybersecurity awareness in primary and secondary educational settings, excluding those unrelated to educational contexts or published before 2019. A total of 816 records were identified, of which 220 were duplicates and removed. After screening and eligibility assessments, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was minimized by adhering to strict inclusion criteria, such as limiting the review to high-quality, peer-reviewed studies, and ensuring consistency in the data extraction process. The review highlights effective practices such as using serious games, mobile apps, and tailored programs to enhance cybersecurity awareness. Challenges include inconsistent curricula, insufficient parental involvement, and resource limitations. These results emphasize integrating cybersecurity education across school curricula and regularly updating content to reflect evolving threats. Limitations include the exclusion of non-English and non-peer-reviewed studies. Future research should consider broader contexts and additional sources.

@article{Arishi2024,
  title     = {Cybersecurity Awareness in Schools: A Systematic Review of Practices, Challenges, and Target Audiences},
  journal   = {International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications},
  volume    = {15},
  number    = {12},
  year      = {2024},
  publisher = {The Science and Information Organization},
  author    = {Abdulrahman Abdullah Arishi and Nazhatul Hafizah Kamarudin and Khairul Azmi Abu Bakar and Zarina Binti Shukur and Mohammad Kamrul Hasan},
  doi       = {10.14569/IJACSA.2024.0151249},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2024.0151249}
}