Development of an Integrated Cybersecurity Framework for Mitigating Online Identity Theft and Phishing Among Youth in Westlands Constituency, Nairobi County.

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital platforms in communication, finance, education, and public services has heightened exposure to cyber threats, with online identity theft and phishing emerging as major risks. Despite the existence of legal frameworks and cybersecurity awareness initiatives in Kenya, urban youth remain exposed to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. This study examined the relationships between technology adoption, cybersecurity education, policy awareness, and the mitigation of online identity theft and phishing among youth in Westlands Constituency, Nairobi County. Guided by Routine Activity Theory, the Health Belief Model, Protection Motivation Theory, and Institutional Theory, the study specifically examined the relationship between technology adoption and mitigation of identity theft and phishing; assessed the relationship between cybersecurity education and mitigation; examined the relationship between policy awareness and mitigation; determined the joint predictive contribution of the three factors; and developed a proposed empirically informed cybersecurity framework. The study adopted a descriptive correlational research design with qualitative supplementation and was predominantly quantitative. From a target population of 116,798 youth aged 18–35 years, a sample of 399 respondents was determined, of whom 338 participated in the study, representing a response rate of 84.7%. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire containing closed- and open-ended questions and supplemented by document review. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative responses were analysed thematically. The findings showed positive and statistically significant relationships between technology adoption, cybersecurity education, policy awareness, and the mitigation of online identity theft and phishing. Cybersecurity education had the strongest standardized predictive contribution, followed by technology adoption and policy awareness. Collectively, technology adoption, cybersecurity education, and policy awareness significantly predicted mitigation of identity theft and phishing, explaining 52.0% of the variation in mitigation outcomes (R2 = .520, F(3, 334) = 120.611, p < .001). Based on these findings, the study developed a proposed empirically informed cybersecurity framework integrating technological safeguards, cybersecurity education, and policy awareness for mitigating online identity theft and phishing among youth in Westlands Constituency. The study concludes that the three dimensions provide complementary contributions to understanding mitigation and recommends strengthening practical cybersecurity education, promoting accessible and user-friendly security technologies, and enhancing awareness of cybercrime policies and reporting mechanisms. The study contributes to knowledge by integrating technological, educational, and policy dimensions within a context-specific framework for understanding the mitigation of online identity theft and phishing among urban youth.