Plagiarism and Cybersecurity in the Digital Age: A Cross-Level Study of Academic Integrity in Higher Education

Abstract

Plagiarism has evolved significantly in the digital age, transforming from traditional cut, copy and paste based misconduct to technologically facilitated academic dishonesty. Simultaneously, cybersecurity threats in higher education institutions have intensified and alarming, at the same time exposing vulnerabilities related to intellectual property theft, unauthorized data access, and digital manipulation of academic manuscripts and content. The present study examines the intersection of plagiarism and cybersecurity across and among undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), doctoral (PhD), and faculty levels. A cross-sectional survey of 200 participants was conducted to assess awareness, attitudes, experiences and expectations related to plagiarism and institutional cybersecurity mechanisms. The findings reveal high dependence on digital sources, moderate awareness of plagiarism policies, and limited understanding of cybersecurity frameworks about protecting academic data. Results indicate a statistically significant relationship between usage of digital tool and unintentional plagiarism practices. The study concludes that plagiarism must be addressed prominently as an ethical issue and also as a cybersecurity concern requiring technological, institutional, and behavioural interventions.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788199328631.2025.117-123