Building Cyber-Resilient Universities: A Tailored Maturity Model for Strengthening Cybersecurity in Higher Education
Maznifah Salam, Khairul Azmi Abu Bakar, Azana Hafizah Mohd Aman · International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications · 2025
This study explores Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) cybersecurity maturity and preparedness, developing a Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CSMM) for HEIs specific to the needs of these institutions. These HEIs face increasing cyber threats and cyberattacks from ransomware attacks, phishing attempts, and data breaches, considering increasing dependence on digital methods for administration, teaching, and research. Though cybersecurity is of paramount importance today, many institutions do not have proper structures with which they can evaluate and enhance their security practices. The study uses a mixed-method approach, whereby the integration of qualitative case studies and quantitative surveys would address this gap, subsequently allowing the identification, validation, and assessment of the key domains and criteria in a comprehensive cybersecurity framework. The research started with an investigation, followed by design, data collection, analysis, and reporting, which accounted for the major phases of the study. The data was collected through interviews, documentation reviews, and surveys involving cybersecurity experts and ICT management teams in various HEIs. The results revealed eleven important assessment domains, twenty-four criteria, and sixty-seven elements necessary for developing the CSMM: Governance, Risk Management, Infrastructure Security, Human Factors, Compliance, and Monitoring. The validation confirmed the model to be practical, reliable, and valuable in the overall sense, giving the institutions a structured avenue for assessing and improving their cybersecurity maturity.