Artificial Intelligence in Ethical Hacking for Cybersecurity Ethics Awareness among Students
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, ethical hacking, cybersecurity ethics, cyber awareness, students.
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) expands opportunities for cybersecurity education while increasing the risk that students may misuse technical capabilities. This study examined AI-assisted ethical hacking as a means of fostering cybersecurity ethics awareness and identified its benefits, risks, research gaps, and implementation principles. A Systematic Literature Review followed PRISMA stages and reviewed 30 journal articles published during 2016–2026 from Scopus, IEEE Xplore, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, ACM Digital Library, and accredited Indonesian journals. Data were analyzed through extraction and thematic synthesis. The findings showed that cyber ranges, capture-the-flag activities, serious games, and ethical hacking laboratories improved engagement and technical understanding, although knowledge did not always produce safe and ethical behavior. AI could serve as an adaptive tutor, scenario generator, feedback provider, and incident-explanation tool. Major risks included dual use, hallucinations, data leakage, bias, dependency, and academic integrity violations. Implementation should use an AI–Ethical Hacking Learning Cycle combining authorization, isolated environments, guardrails, ethical reflection, knowledge–attitude–behavior assessment, transparency, and meaningful human oversight.
References
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Zeadally, S., Adi, E., Baig, Z., & Khan, I. A. (2020). Harnessing artificial intelligence capabilities to improve cybersecurity. IEEE Access, 8, 23817–23837. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2968045
Zwilling, M., Klien, G., Lesjak, D., Wiechetek, Ł., Cetin, F., & Basim, H. N. (2022). Cyber security awareness, knowledge and behavior: A comparative study. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 62(1), 82–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2020.1712269
Anwar, M., He, W., Ash, I., Yuan, X., Li, L., & Xu, L. (2017). Gender difference and employees’ cybersecurity behaviors. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 437–443.
Capuano, N., Fenza, G., Loia, V., & Stanzione, C. (2022). Explainable artificial intelligence in cybersecurity: A survey. IEEE Access, 10, 93575–93600. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3204171
Chan, C. K. Y. (2023). A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, 38.
Chiu, T. K. F., Xia, Q., Zhou, X., Chai, C. S., & Cheng, M. (2023). Systematic literature review on opportunities, challenges, and future research recommendations of artificial intelligence in education. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100118.
Hadlington, L. (2017). Human factors in cybersecurity: Examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviours. Heliyon, 3(7), e00346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00346
Hagendorff, T. (2024). Mapping the ethics of generative AI: A comprehensive scoping review. Minds and Machines, 34, 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-024-09694-w
Humphreys, D., Koay, A., Desmond, D., & Mealy, E. (2024). AI hype as a cyber security risk: The moral responsibility of implementing generative AI in business. AI and Ethics, 4, 791–804. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-024-00443-4
Ismail, M., Kuppusamy, K. S., & Paiva, S. (2024). Cybersecurity activities for education and curriculum design: A survey. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 16, 100501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100501
Jobin, A., Ienca, M., & Vayena, E. (2019). The global landscape of AI ethics guidelines. Nature Machine Intelligence, 1, 389–399.
Kajiwara, T., & Kawabata, T. (2024). AI literacy education using an ethical chatbot. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100251
Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., Stadler, M., Weller, J., Kuhn, J., & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274.
Katsantonis, M. N., Mavridis, I., & Gritzalis, D. A. (2021). Design and evaluation of COFELET-based approaches for cyber security learning and training. Computers & Security, 105, 102263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2021.102263
Khan, M. A., Merabet, A., Alkaabi, S., & El Sayed, H. (2022). Game-based learning platform to enhance cybersecurity education. Education and Information Technologies, 27(4), 5153–5177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10807-6
Kong, S. C., & Zhu, H. (2025). Developing and validating an artificial intelligence ethical awareness scale for secondary and university students. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 9, 100447.
Laupichler, M. C., Aster, A., Schirch, J., & Raupach, T. (2022). Artificial intelligence literacy in higher and adult education: A scoping literature review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100101.
McCormac, A., Zwaans, T., Parsons, K., Calic, D., Butavicius, M., & Pattinson, M. (2017). Individual differences and information security awareness. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 151–156.
Memarian, B., & Doleck, T. (2023). Fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics (FATE) in artificial intelligence and higher education: A systematic review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 5, 100152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100152
Naik, B., Mehta, A., Yagnik, H., & Shah, M. (2022). The impacts of artificial intelligence techniques in augmentation of cybersecurity: A comprehensive review. Complex & Intelligent Systems, 8, 1763–1780. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-021-00494-8
Pahlavanpour, M. M., & Gao, S. (2024). A systematic mapping study on gamification in information security awareness programs. Heliyon, 10(19), e38474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38474
Parsons, K., Calic, D., Pattinson, M., Butavicius, M., McCormac, A., & Zwaans, T. (2017). The Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q): Two further validation studies. Computers & Security, 66, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2017.01.004
Quayyum, A., Cruzes, D. S., & Jaccheri, L. (2021). Cybersecurity awareness for children: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 30, 100343.
Rohan, R., Pal, D., & Funilkul, S. (2023). A systematic literature review of cybersecurity scales assessing information security awareness. Heliyon, 9(3), e14234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14234
Shillair, R., Esteve-González, P., Dutton, W. H., Creese, S., Nagyfejeo, E., & von Solms, B. (2022). Cybersecurity education, awareness raising, and training initiatives: National level evidence-based results, challenges, and promise. Computers & Security, 119, 102756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2022.102756
Tlili, A., Shehata, B., Adarkwah, M. A., Bozkurt, A., Hickey, D. T., Huang, R., & Agyemang, B. (2023). What if the devil is my guardian angel: ChatGPT as a case study of using chatbots in education. Smart Learning Environments, 10, 15.
Weeratunge, N. H., Hjelsvold, R., & Katt, B. (2026). A systematic scoping review on game-based cybersecurity awareness education. International Journal of Information Security, 25, Article 71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-026-01239-9
Wiese, L. J., Patil, I., Schiff, D. S., & Magana, A. J. (2025). AI ethics education: A systematic literature review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100405
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education—Where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16, 39.
Zeadally, S., Adi, E., Baig, Z., & Khan, I. A. (2020). Harnessing artificial intelligence capabilities to improve cybersecurity. IEEE Access, 8, 23817–23837. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2968045
Zwilling, M., Klien, G., Lesjak, D., Wiechetek, Ł., Cetin, F., & Basim, H. N. (2022). Cyber security awareness, knowledge and behavior: A comparative study. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 62(1), 82–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2020.1712269
Published
2026-08-02
How to Cite
Dwiky Dimas Prihartomo, & Bisyron Wahyudi. (2026). Artificial Intelligence in Ethical Hacking for Cybersecurity Ethics Awareness among Students. International Journal of Technology and Education Research, 4(03), 749-761. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijeter.v4i03.5755
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