Cyberspace Activities Awareness And Security Strategies In Tertiary Institutions In Nigeria

• Author(s): Njoku, Donatus O. ; Nwokorie, E. C. ; Okolie, S. A. ; Odii, J. N.
• Paper ID: 1701507
• Page: 439-445
• Published Date: 20-08-2019
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 3 Issue 2 August-2019

Abstract

This study attempts to examine the activity, awareness and measures being adopted by staff and students in tertiary institutions to overcome the cyber security challenges. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) staff and students were sampled from three different tertiary institutions in Owerri-Imo State, Nigeria using random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used as data collecting instrument. The views representing the opinions of the respondents were sought on issues on cyber space activity, security awareness and strategy adopted by staff and students. With respect to activity on cyberspace, there is a variation of engagement by respondents. On the cyberspace activities engaged, majority of the respondents, 82% of the population claimed that they involve in Google search. When asked about their awareness to certain educational cybercrimes, majority, 89%, claimed to be aware of spamming. Most of the staff and students sampled on security awareness responded that they are familiar with some threats used to steal and leak their information and identity. However, all of the biggest cybercrimes the education sector are battling recently like phishing, ransomware and DDoS which have been used to attack schools on a regular basis are not that popular among the staff and students. A very important revelation from this study was that issues related to cybercrime are not being reported to law enforcement agents by staff and students of tertiary institutions. This poses great danger to the fight against cybercrime. All the users of Information Technology (IT) facilities in tertiary institutions should be educated on the risk of cyber-attacks and how to manage it. This includes reporting to law enforcement agency. It is recommended that the government and the authorities of tertiary institutions in Nigeria introduced cyber security law as part of the courses to be taken. The network users should be made to know their roles and responsibilities in ensuring a safe and efficient cyber pace.

Keywords

Cyber crime, Cyber Security, Cyber Space, Information Technology, Tertiary Institution

Citations

IRE Journals:
Njoku, Donatus O. , Nwokorie, E. C. , Okolie, S. A. , Odii, J. N. "Cyberspace Activities Awareness And Security Strategies In Tertiary Institutions In Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 3 Issue 2 2019 Page 439-445

IEEE:
Njoku, Donatus O. , Nwokorie, E. C. , Okolie, S. A. , Odii, J. N. "Cyberspace Activities Awareness And Security Strategies In Tertiary Institutions In Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 3(2)