Abstract

Digital self-defence has become fundamental since the individual vulnerability has been focused and emphasised within the context of internet usage. Even organisations require safety at the individual level towards achieving effective cybersecurity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the idea of digital self-defence from the perspective of its applicability to the context of vulnerabilities, strategies, and the efficacy of achieving maximum safety.

The research philosophy adopted for this dissertation is positivism. The research method is quantitative. As depicted in the topic, the research population are the young people in northern Nigeria. Sampling was adopted with 100 participants involved in the overall research. Digital questionnaire was deployed for the research. The propagation was done through the sharing of links on various platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. The thematic approach was adopted in analysing the research. Two themes were derived in accordance with the research objectives.

It was discovered that information systems awareness (ISA) influences the degree of vulnerability of individuals on the internet. The vulnerability of an individual relies on the level of cybersecurity awareness especially in terms of potential attacks. Attackers often exploit vulnerability through phishing, identity theft, social engineering, and ransomware. It was further discovered that self-defence involves the deployment of cybersecurity compliant behaviour, deployment of technology and adoption of training. Software deployment is the most prominent means of enhancing self-defence among participants.

Digital self-defence: Human vulnerability mitigation among youth in Northern Nigeria