Cyberattacks frequently target higher educational institutions, making cybersecurity awareness and resilience critical for students. However, limited research exists on cybersecurity awareness, attitudes, and resilience among students in higher education. This study addresses this gap using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical framework. A modified Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire was employed to gather 266 valid responses from undergraduate and postgraduate students at a South African higher education institution. Key dimensions of cybersecurity awareness and behavior, including password management, email usage, social media practices, and mobile device security, were assessed. A significant disparity in cybersecurity awareness and practices, with postgraduate students demonstrating superior performance across several dimensions was noted. This research postulates the existence of a Cybersecurity-Education Inflection Point during the transition to postgraduate studies, coined as the Cybersecurity-Resilience Gap. These concepts provide a foundation for developing targeted cybersecurity education initiatives in higher education, particularly highlighting the need for earlier intervention at the undergraduate level.

翻译：网络攻击频繁针对高等教育机构，使得网络安全意识与韧性对学生至关重要。然而，目前关于高等教育中学生网络安全意识、态度及韧性的研究仍较为有限。本研究以计划行为理论为理论框架，旨在填补这一研究空白。通过采用修订版的信息安全人为因素问卷，收集了南非一所高等教育机构266名本科生与研究生的有效回复。评估了网络安全意识与行为的关键维度，包括密码管理、电子邮件使用、社交媒体实践及移动设备安全。研究发现网络安全意识与实践存在显著差异，研究生在多个维度上表现出更优水平。本研究假设在向研究生阶段过渡期间存在一个网络安全教育拐点，即所谓的网络安全韧性差距。这些概念为在高等教育中开展有针对性的网络安全教育计划奠定了基础，尤其凸显了在本科阶段进行早期干预的必要性。