An Empirical Study on Cyber Crimes and Cybersecurity Awareness

Abstract

Abstract With the boom in the digital world today, cybercriminals have taken the Internet as their playground. The Internet's crimes have increased compared to previous years, and cybersecurity awareness must be paramount. This paper uses statistical correlation and regression techniques to study cybercrime rates and cybersecurity awareness levels empirically. Our analysis reveals a significant correlation between cybercrime rates and low cybersecurity awareness levels, suggesting that a lack of awareness contributes to higher cybercrime rates. We also find that age, occupation, and education level are significant predictors of cybersecurity awareness, with younger individuals and those in higher-paying professions having higher awareness levels. These findings suggest that improving cybersecurity awareness among individuals and organisations is crucial to preventing cybercrime. Policy recommendations include increasing awareness-raising activities targeted toward older age groups and developing education and training programs targeting individuals in lower-paying occupations—cyber-attacks targeting the less aware and vulnerable.