Cyber Security Threat Awareness Framework for High School Students in Qatar

TL;DR

This paper presents a new cybersecurity awareness framework tailored for high school students in Qatar, utilizing engaging methods like emojis to improve understanding and safety practices among youth.

Contribution

It introduces a structured, four-phase operational framework specifically designed to enhance cybersecurity awareness in K-12 students, incorporating innovative engagement techniques.

Findings

Framework effectively identifies threats and existing awareness levels.

Proposed approach increases cybersecurity engagement among teenagers.

Use of emojis enhances understanding and retention of security concepts.

Abstract

Cyber security is considered a necessity for anyone in todays modern world. Awareness of cyber security standards and best practices have become mandatory to safeguard ones child in this day and age. High schoolers today do not understand cyber security threats due to the lack of parental involvement or the lack of educational material and courses in high school. This study developed a framework that addresses the lack of cybersecurity awareness for high school students. The proposed framework gives a flow of steps to provide effective awareness approaches for k12. This was achieved using an approach of creating a functional operational framework that consists of four phases which are Threats and Attacks Identification, Existing Awareness Discovery, Creating Awareness Approach, and Awareness Approach Evaluation. The output resulted in a cybersecurity awareness approach specifically for the k-12 age range, which leverages cybersecurity emojis. Thus, by exploring this approach, the security community can enroll and lure teenagers into cybersecurity and raise the degree of security awareness.