Purpose – This study aims to examine the current state of information security awareness (ISA) among committees participating in Indonesia’s civil servant recruitment process and to provide strategic recommendations for improving identified areas of deficiency. Design/methodology/approach – This study used an online survey consisting of 63 questions adapted from the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q), which assesses ISA across three dimensions: knowledge, attitude and behavior. The HAIS-Q was selected for its comprehensive and validated framework. Participants were members of the civil servant recruitment committee in Indonesia with a minimum of three years of experience. Descriptive analysis was conducted to interpret the data. Findings – Overall, the civil servant recruitment committee demonstrates a good level of awareness regarding information security. However, in the Internet Usage focus area, their awareness across all the Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior (KAB) dimensions remains at an average level, indicating a need for targeted training in this critical area. Notably, in the mobile devices focus area, the knowledge dimension received an average score, whereas the incident reporting focus area showed average scores in both knowledge and attitude. The behavioral dimension in both areas was satisfactory despite these gaps. Committee members follow secure practices, but they need to learn more about specific security issues. Originality/value – Research on ISA has not yet focused on employee recruitment committees, particularly those involved in civil servant recruitment in Indonesia. This study is among the first to apply the KAB model and the HAIS-Q framework in this specific context. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited