Abstract
Digital transformation has intensified students’ dependence on information technology while simultaneously increasing their exposure to cybersecurity risks. Consequently, enhancing security awareness has become essential for safeguarding personal and institutional digital assets. This study investigates the effects of perceived threat and perceived vulnerability on security awareness through the mediating role of cybersecurity engagement. Grounded in Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), a quantitative explanatory survey was conducted involving 134 undergraduate students aged 18–24 years at Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity, with all constructs meeting the recommended thresholds for convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency. The structural model revealed that perceived threat (β = 0.434, p < 0.001) and perceived vulnerability (β = 0.359, p < 0.001) significantly enhance cybersecurity engagement, which in turn exerts a strong positive effect on security awareness (β = 0.764, p < 0.001). Furthermore, cybersecurity engagement significantly mediates the effects of perceived threat and perceived vulnerability on security awareness. These findings highlight that security awareness develops not only through risk perception but also through active participation in cybersecurity-related activities. The study contributes to cybersecurity education research and provides practical guidance for designing engagement-oriented cybersecurity awareness programs in higher education institutions.
Keywords— Security Awareness, Perceived Threat, Perceived Vulnerability, Cybersecurity Engagement, Protection Motivation Theory