DIGITAL EDUCATION: SECURITY CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES

  • Lourdes Cecilia Ruiz Salvador Obuda University
  • Carlos Lenin Alvarez Llerena Eötvös Loránd University
  • HUU PHUOC DAI NGUYEN Obuda Univeristy
Keywords: Digital education, security, challenges, countermeasures

Abstract

Research Paper

DOI: 10.37458/ssj.2.2.4

The COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid development of technologies have forced restructuring education at all levels. This change from traditional to digital learning demanded both teachers and students to possess higher digital literacy. Moreover, it required them to be aware of the importance of security and its countermeasures to protect e-learning systems. The aim of this paper was twofold. First, it focused on security issues when using Moodle, Zoom. Blackboard, and edX. Furthermore, it offers best practices to address security threats and cyber-attacks from the outside network to e-learning systems. From this study, a cryptography mechanism arises as the best technique to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and authentication (CIA) of data on the e-platforms. However, it is not strong enough to mitigate cybersecurity attacks in e-learning systems. For that reason, it is suggested that the cryptography mechanism needs to be combined with other techniques such as biometric authentication, firewalls, IDS, digital watermarking, and security process models.       

References

Adetoba B. T., A. O. and K. S. O. (2016). E-learning Security Issues and Challenges : A Review. Journal of Scientific Research and Studies, 3(5), 96–100.

Ahmed, R. (2020). Zoom Vulnerabilities Demonstrated in DEF CON Talk.

Bandara, I., Ioras, F., & Maher, K. (n.d.). CYBER SECURITY CONCERNS IN E-LEARNING EDUCATION.

Charlie Osborne. (2021). Critical Zoom vulnerability triggers remote code execution without user input.

Costinela-Luminiţa, C. (Defta), & Nicoleta-Magdalena, C. (Iacob). (2012). E-learning Security Vulnerabilities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 2297–2301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.05.474

Costinela-Luminita, D. (2011). Information security in E-learning Platforms. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 2689–2693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.171

Edgar R. Weippl. (2005). E-LEARNING. ADVANCES IN INFORMATION SECURITY, 16.

edX. (2021). Documentation for edx.org and the OpenedX Community.

El-Sofany, H. F., Tayeb, A. Al, Alghatani, K., & El-Seoud, S. A. (2013). The impact of cloud computing technologies in E-learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 8(SPL.ISSUE), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v8iS1.2344

Fayziyeva, D. S., Yuldasheva, N. S., & Ugli, I. S. Z. (2019). Security issues in E-Learning system. International Conference on Information Science and Communications Technologies: Applications, Trends and Opportunities, ICISCT 2019, April. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICISCT47635.2019.9011971

Fenu, G., Marras, M., & Boratto, L. (2018). A multi-biometric system for continuous student authentication in e-learning platforms. Pattern Recognition Letters, 113, 83–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patrec.2017.03.027

Huu Phuoc Dai, N., Kerti, A., & Rajnai, Z. (2016). E-Learning Security Risks and its Countermeasures. Journal of Emerging Research and Solutions in ICT, 1(1), 17–25. https://doi.org/10.20544/ersict.01.16.p02

Kaspersky. (2021). DDoS Protection.

Kumar, S., & Dutta, K. (2011). Investigation on security in LMS moodle. International Journal of Information Technology …, 4(1), 233–238.

Li, C., & Lalani, F. (2020, April 29). The rise of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic . World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/

Lynch, A., & Friis, E. (2018). Security Analysis of the edX Platform The edX Platform.

M. V. Eekelen, R. Moussa, Engelbert Hubbers, & Roel Verdult. (2013). Blackboard Security Assessment. CTIT Technical Report Series, April.

Matt Miller. (2020). Zoom security issues.

Mawgoud, A. A., Taha, M. H. N., & Khalifa, N. E. M. (2020). Security Threats of Social Internet of Things in the Higher Education Environment. Studies in Computational Intelligence, 846, 151–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24513-9_9

Natalya, M., Alexey, K., & Alexander, L. (2018). Analysis of E-learning in Digital Economy. January 2018. https://doi.org/10.2991/emle-18.2018.167

National Academies of Sciences, E. and M. (2018). How people learn II: Learners, contexts, and cultures. In How People Learn II: Learners, Contexts, and Cultures. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24783

Neena, P. M., Athi Narayanan, S., & Bijlani, K. (2016). Copyright Protection for E-Learning Videos Using Digital Watermarking. Proceedings - 2015 5th International Conference on Advances in Computing and Communications, ICACC 2015, 447–450. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICACC.2015.74

Olaza-Maguiña, A. F., & De La Cruz-Ramirez, Y. M. (2021). Digital Education and Information Security in Obstetric Students in COVID-19 Pandemic Times in Peru. 97–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85893-3_7

Paul Wagenseil. (2021). Zoom security issues: Here’s everything that’s gone wrong (so far).

Philip, A. (2020). Information Security Reading Room The Legal System and Ethics.

Rjaibi, N., Rabai, L., Aissa, A., & Louadi, M. (2012). Cyber Security Measurement in Depth for E-learning Systems. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering, 2(11), 1–15.

Securelist. (2020). Digital Education: The cyberrisks of the online classroom.

Serhan, D. (2020). Transitioning from Face-to-Face to Remote Learning: Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions of using Zoom during COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 4(4), 335–342. https://doi.org/10.46328/IJTES.V4I4.148

Stapić, Z., Orehovački, T., & Danić, M. (2008). Determination of optimal security settings for LMS Moodle. MIPRO 2008 - 31st International Convention Proceedings: Digital Economy - 5th ALADIN, Information Systems Security, Business Intelligence Systems, Local Government and Student Papers, 5, 84–89.

Published
2021-12-19