Cyberattacks and academic performance in higher education: psychoeducational effects and mitigation strategies in Latin American digital contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55204/trc.v5i1.e497Keywords:
educational cybersecurity, academic performance, systemic technological stress, digital vulnerabilitiesAbstract
This study analyzes the impact of cyberattacks on the academic performance of university students in Latin America, within a context of intensified digitalization in educational processes. Based on a survey of 397 students and a bibliometric review of relevant literature (2015–2025), the research explores the correlation between cybersecurity incidents and variables such as data loss, disruption of virtual learning, and technological stress. Findings show that over 70% of students experienced anxiety related to digital security failures, with a statistically significant correlation between attack frequency and GPA decline (r = -0.41, p < 0.01). Additionally, the concept of systemic technological stress is introduced, defined as a novel form of psychoeducational strain linked to persistent digital vulnerabilities. A set of mitigation strategies is proposed, including strengthening technological infrastructure, continuous cybersecurity training, and institutional incident response protocols. These results highlight the urgent need to embed cybersecurity as a cross-cutting component in quality assurance policies for higher education.
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