Determining cyber ​​security differences of university studen

Today, the internet is an indispensable part of our lives and it is necessary to teach young people to use the internet consciously. Especially in recent times, it has been observed that young individuals are increasingly becoming victims of cybercrimes. While benefiting from the positive developments brought about by the internet in every aspect of life, exposure to numerous negative actions and behaviors is also prevalent. Despite efforts by individuals and organizations to ensure cybersecurity through technical measures, ignorance and negligence on the part of end-users contribute to cybersecurity vulnerabilities and encourage cybercrimes. Every day, various types of cybercrimes are being developed. The responsibility of protecting against such cybercrimes lies with the users; it is crucial for users to understand what cybersecurity entails and how it can be ensured. From this point of view, this quantitative research, which aims to determine the cyber security awareness levels of young people, who are the most common victims of cybercrime, and to develop some suggestions for lawmakers, parents, educators and ultimately young people in line with the research findings, was conducted with the relational survey model. Convenience sampling technique, one of the non-random sampling methods, was used in the research. In this context, A total of 33 statements were directed to university students, comprising demographic and cybersecurity awareness-related questions. The research findings indicate that the level of cybersecurity awareness among university students is high. Furthermore, no significant difference in cybersecurity awareness levels was detected based on demographic variables (gender, age, department, class). Due to the early access to the internet from a young age, it is crucial for parents or children to be aware of and educate children about potential risks such as cybercrimes and cyberbullying. Therefore, instilling cybersecurity awareness in young people from childhood is essential. In this context, cybersecurity lessons can be included in curricula starting from elementary school, and education sessions, seminars, can be provided to various sectors of society regarding cybercrimes.