A Study On Cyber Security Awareness Among College Students Of Satara City

International Journal of Advance and Applied Research Peer Reviewed | International Open Access Journal ISSN: 2347-7075 | Impact Factor – 8.141 | Website: https://ijaar.co.in/ Volume-13, Issue-1 | September - October 2025 25 Original Article A STUDY ON CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS OF SATARA CITY Mrs. Sneha Jitendra Dhanawade1 & Ms. Snehankita Amitabh Khurd2 1Assistant Professor, Savitribai Phule Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Satara 2Assistant Professor, Savitribai Phule Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Satara Manuscript ID: IJAAR-130104 Abstract: Cyber security is an important issue in the modern era, especially among college students who spend most of their time online and on social media. This study examines the extent of cybersecurity awareness among students in Satara city, Maharashtra. It examines students' knowledge, behavior, and attitude toward internet security practices. A survey-based approach was utilized, and the information was obtained from 200 students distributed over different colleges in Satara. The findings indicate that awareness exists at a moderate level, but there is a wide gap in putting cyber safety measures into practice. The research points out the necessity for organized cybersecurity education and awareness sessions in educational institutions. Keywords: Cyber Security, Awareness, Internet Safety, Online Behaviour, Digital Literacy. ISSN: 2347-7075 Impact Factor – 8.141 Volume - 13 Issue - 1 SeptemberOctober 2025 Pp. 25-27 Submitted: 26 Sept 2025 Revised: 13 Oct 2025 Accepted: 25 Oct 2025 Published: 31Oct 2025 Corresponding Author: Mrs. Sneha Jitendra Dhanawade Quick Response Code: Website: https://ijaar.co.in/ DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17509704 DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenod o.17509704 Creative Commons Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), which permits others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work non-commercially, provided that appropriate credit is given and that any new creations are licensed under identical terms. How to cite this article: Mrs. Sneha Jitendra Dhanawade & Ms. Snehankita Amitabh Khurd. (2025). A Study On Cyber Security Awareness Among College Students Of Satara City. International Journal of Advance and Applied Research, 13(1), 25–27. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17509704 International Journal of Advance and Applied Research Peer Reviewed | International Open Access Journal ISSN: 2347-7075 | Impact Factor – 8.141 | Website: https://ijaar.co.in/ Volume-13, Issue-1 | September - October 2025 26 Hypothesis: H₀: There exists no significant level of cyber security awareness among college students in Satara city. H₁: There exists a significant level of cyber security awareness among college students in Satara city. Methodology: 1. Research Design: Descriptive research design was utilized to research the level of awareness among students. 2. Population and Sample:  Population: Students in Satara city colleges  Sample Size: 200 students  Sampling Method: Stratified random sampling to cover arts, science, and commerce stream students 3. Data Collection Tool: A semi-structured questionnaire containing open-ended and close-ended questions was utilized. The questionnaire covered areas of:  Personal data  Awareness of cyber attacks  Preventive steps taken  Encounter with cyber crimes  Attitudes regarding cybersecurity 4. Data Collection Method: Primary data was gathered using physical and internet surveys. Secondary data was collected from academic articles, reports, and official publications. 5. Data Analysis: Data was examined using descriptive statistics (percentages, mean scores) and chisquare tests to ascertain the correlation of demographic variables and cyber awareness level. Findings: 1. General Awareness:  72% were aware of cyber security.  Only 48% identified phishing and malware correctly. 2. Cyber Hygiene Practices:  61% employed strong passwords.  34% updated devices regularly.  Only 29% employed two-factor authentication. 3. Experience with Cyber Threats:  19% had been victims of some type of cybercrime (e.g., social media hacking, email phishing).  The majority of the incidents were not reported because of ignorance of legal action. 4. Sources of Awareness:  45% learned from social media and YouTube.  Formal education or training in cyber security was available to only 22%. 5. Stream-Wise Awareness:  Students of science demonstrated comparatively higher awareness (mean score: 7.8/10).  Arts and commerce students registered lower awareness (mean scores: 6.2 and 6.5 respectively). Conclusion: The research presents that although there is a general level of cyber security awareness amongst college students in International Journal of Advance and Applied Research Peer Reviewed | International Open Access Journal ISSN: 2347-7075 | Impact Factor – 8.141 | Website: https://ijaar.co.in/ Volume-13, Issue-1 | September - October 2025 27 Satara city, there is a wide gap between awareness and practice. A majority of the students have no formal education on the topic and are heavily dependent on informal channels for information. The research points towards a pressing need for incorporating cyber security education in the college curriculum and conducting frequent awareness programs. Improving digital literacy and secure online practices is critical in making students prepared to be safe in the digital world. Recommendations: 1. Mandatory cyber security training sessions and workshops must be conducted by colleges. 2. Inclusion of basic digital safety practices in the curriculum is a must. 3. Making students report cyber crimes and clearly instructing them on how to do so. 4. The awareness campaign with the local authorities. References: 1. National Cyber Security Policy, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India (2013). 2. Anderson, R., & Moore, T. (2009). Information Security Economics – and Beyond. Springer. 3. Cyber Crime Reports – National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India. 4. Sharma, A. & Saini, H. (2021). Cybersecurity Awareness Among College Students: A Study. International Journal of Information Security. 5. www.cyberaware.gov.in 6. Gupta, S. (2022). Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety in India: Current Trends. Journal of Cyber Policy.