CYBER SECURITY ISSUES IN ONLINE EDUCATION

Abstract

Cybersecurity threats are a national security challenge in most countries all over the world. It is evident that cybersecurity in the context of distance education is an open problem which needs to be addressed seriously. Building a secure information society requires increasing trust in information and communication technology (ICT), data protection and user privacy, and promoting a global culture of cyber security in a context where societies around the world are highly dependent, where this consequently also has the risks that may be from cybercrime on the rise. Governments alone cannot provide security in order to protect cyber domain within their countries since in most cases they do not operate with public electronic communications infrastructure. Networks and services within the national cyber domain are not always under the control or management of the governments, therefore this fact raises the need for public-private cooperation in order to better exchange information and prevent cyber threats early. Considering the fact that the protection of cyberspace is a shared responsibility between the relevant parties, including public institutions, operators of essential services and critical infrastructure, private businesses and end users in general, the definition of responsibilities and ways of cooperation through the formalization of procedures will have a positive impact on defence. and preventing threats that are always present in cyberspace. Different approaches and models of cooperation and exchange of information should be based mainly on building trust between relevant parties and formalizing the legal framework under which different actors operate and establish their cooperative relationships in preventing cyber security threats. Models of public-private cooperation can be ad-hoc, formalized through memoranda of understanding between the parties or models regulated through legally binding cooperation procedures. Each model may have its advantages or disadvantages, but formalizing the right model is vital in preventing threats and taking appropriate action in response to cybersecurity incidents. According to global statistics, the percentage of incidents targeting educational institutions reported during 2020 has increased drastically and this trend is increasing continuously. It is also confirmed that the biggest threat in this sector comes from ransomware attacks which are a growing trend in other sectors as well. Given the growing risks affecting distance learning, the purpose of the research is to address the security problem in a broader aspect with emphasis on cooperation between institutions at the national level where part of this cooperation should be the sector of education through specific mechanisms and policies. Certain considerations have been given in order to promote and advance the efforts of educational institutions to participate in cooperation and mutual exchange of information, especially in developing countries where the completion of the legal framework and the establishment of appropriate mechanisms in the field of cybersecurity already has started.