Assessment of Security Awareness Level of Mobile Device Users in Tertiary Institutions in Plateau State of Nigeria

—Mobile devices are widely used in everyday life, however, the number of cyber-attacks on the security and privacy of mobile device users are increased. Although students at tertiary institutions are savvy Internet users, there appears to be a gap between their behaviors and the security of their mobile devices. The security awareness of mobile device users in tertiary institutions in Nigeria's Plateau State is assessed in this article. The study looks into mobile security vulnerabilities, as well as whether or not users are aware of them and what tactics (if any) they take to deal with them. A questionnaire is used as an instrument to acquire information about consumers' security awareness. The purpose is to see if academic literacy and the ability to utilize mobile devices are related to security awareness and the implementation of relevant security measures. It also tries to figure out whether users who value mobile device security and have legitimate security concerns engage in behaviors that either enhance or compromise security. The findings demonstrate that the majority of students (58.4%) have a strong understanding of their devices (including their functions) and that a substantial percentage of students (85.6%) regard mobile device security to be vital. Furthermore, (63.4 %) of respondents are concerned about the security of their mobile devices. In conclusion, the outcome of this study shows that smartphone users have little knowledge of security and privacy on smartphones but then the level of security awareness using smartphones is increasing as respondents answered the questionnaire.