Impact of Information Security Awareness Training on Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior: A K-12 Case Study

Abstract— Information security breaches remain a serious threat across all sectors, often exploiting human factors rather than technical flaws. This study examines how a structured Information Security Awareness (ISA) training program influences employees’ knowledge of security policies, attitudes towards those policies, and self-reported security behaviors within a K-12 educational environment. A quantitative pre-test/post-test design was employed with 201 staff members (administrators, teachers, and support personnel) in a public school district. Participants completed the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q) before and after undergoing an interactive cybersecurity training program. Statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement in information security knowledge, attitudes, and behavior following the training (p < 0.001 for all domains). Additionally, strong positive correlations were observed among knowledge, attitude, and behavior both before and after training. These results indicate that well-designed ISA training can effectively enhance the human aspects of cybersecurity, reinforcing employees’ understanding of policies and encouraging saf