Impact of cybersecurity breaches on social media: A case study on undergraduate students

This study examines the impact of cybersecurity breaches on undergraduate students’ use of social media, with a specific focus on their awareness levels, experiences with cyber threats, and adoption of protective behaviors. Conducted as a case study at The Assam Royal Global University, India, the research utilizes a quantitative survey method involving 300 undergraduate participants across various disciplines. The findings reveal that while 72% of students claim awareness of online threats such as phishing, malware, and identity theft, only 25% have received any form of formal cybersecurity training. Notably, 38% of respondents reported having experienced at least one form of cyber-attack, with phishing being the most prevalent (50%), followed by unauthorized account access (20%) and malware infections (15%). The study further uncovers significant consequences of these breaches, including loss of privacy (44%), academic disruptions such as missed deadlines or lost assignments (26%), and heightened levels of anxiety and stress (65%) among affected students. Although some protective practices like adjusting privacy settings (70%) and using strong passwords (60%) are moderately adopted, more critical measures such as two-factor authentication (used by only 45%) and password managers (10%) remain underutilized. Furthermore, approximately 32% of students reported relying solely on basic password protection, leaving them highly vulnerable to attacks. The results underscore a critical gap between students’ nominal awareness and practical cybersecurity preparedness. The study concludes that cybersecurity in higher education must be addressed not just as a technical issue, but as a matter of academic continuity and student mental health. It recommends that institutions integrate structured cybersecurity education, enforce policy-driven protective measures, and promote simulation-based awareness programs to build a more resilient student community in the digital age.