| Online Courses Bring Advantages and Security | | | | intellectual property open for perusal. And if external |
| ThreatsA college education is mandatory in today's | | | | threats to the students and the network were not |
| job market. Because of this, many workers find | | | | enough, a system administrator at a college also has |
| themselves pursuing a higher education while they are | | | | to deal with the actions of the students as well.The |
| employed. One way colleges are making access to | | | | Hazards of DownloadingComputer access in the |
| education more convenient for workers is by offering | | | | college library is very common even on the smallest of |
| a wide range of their curriculum via online courses. This | | | | community college campuses. Students unaware of |
| growing trend brings with it all the advantages and | | | | security threats can easily surf a number of |
| disadvantages associated with Internet | | | | questionable websites, downloading objectionable |
| connectivity.One of the main advantages to students is | | | | material and leaving a network vulnerable by visiting a |
| easy access to their coursework at all hours of the | | | | chat room or opening an instant message with a skillful |
| day and night. In fact, online classes can usually | | | | hacker on the other end.Through any of these means |
| accommodate any work schedule. The ease of | | | | an unprotected network can be at risk for backdoor |
| communication with the instructor is another reason | | | | programs, viruses and hackers. Defending against |
| online courses are so popular. Still another important | | | | these threats is important for network security, student |
| advantage is that online courses can be accessed | | | | safety and the college's reputation. An unsecured |
| easily from any public commuter with an Internet | | | | network is easy prey for an experienced hacker and |
| connection, like those you might find at universities or in | | | | the last thing a college can afford is to have a |
| public libraries.Colleges and universities support this | | | | student's personal information or worse, financial |
| trend toward online classes because they can attract | | | | information compromised.Reputation and |
| more students and increase revenue without incurring | | | | IntegrityColleges rely on their reputations and integrity |
| the overhead associated with a classroom full of | | | | to distinguish their institutions in a crowded field. Their |
| students.However, as with any trend, there is a | | | | reputation is comprised of many elements including |
| downside to this rapid increase in online education. | | | | student success rates and faculty expertise. The |
| Chief among the challenges institutions face is the | | | | integrity of a college's network security can directly |
| need to defend against Internet-based threats. These | | | | impact student enrollment because any decline in a |
| threats are inherent in Web access and include instant | | | | school's good reputation can spread like wildfire. |
| messaging and peer-to-peer file sharing, spyware and | | | | Schools with diminished reputations can see enrollment |
| phishing attacks, a wide-range of objectionable Web | | | | fall off as parents and students alike find other schools |
| content and human nature | | | | with better reputations.This situation doesn't just affect |
| itself.MySpace.comExamples of human corruption as a | | | | colleges, it also applies to local schools and school |
| source of Internet-based threats are everywhere. The | | | | districts where networks, computers in classroom and |
| Internet is rife with everything from the criminality of | | | | wireless connections are becoming more common. |
| hacking and phishing attacks to the irritation of | | | | Even more compelling, protecting young children is |
| surreptitious spyware agents. The most dangerous | | | | more critical for schools than even their |
| threat is from predators who often target young | | | | reputations.Utilizing proper filtering hardware and |
| people, the very ones who are likely using computers | | | | software can protect the integrity of the educational |
| at schools and libraries. In a recent scandal involving | | | | institution as well as their security and by extension, the |
| MySpace.com, a predator was tracking the | | | | security of the students. Filtering hardware can prevent |
| movements of teenaged girls via their postings. | | | | students from accessing unsafe websites or |
| Predators on the Internet have been present since the | | | | questionable ones. It can prevent downloading of |
| beginning of Internet technology. They fish in chat | | | | materials, backdoor programs and worms.The Obvious |
| rooms, message boards and e-mail. Even if the | | | | SolutionWith the use of filtering hardware, schools can |
| unsuspecting public is aware of the dangers posed by | | | | protect ports into their network exploited by instant |
| predators, the need for Internet security is essential in | | | | messaging programs and more. When it comes right |
| any strategy for defending against Web-based | | | | down to it, educational institutions are negligent if they |
| threats. This becomes even more critical when an | | | | do not employ the right network security. With so |
| educational site is vulnerable to attack.Colleges provide | | | | many potential problems waiting to prey on the |
| their own websites, message boards, blogs and email | | | | unsuspecting and unsecured network, filtering |
| addresses. When a phisher or hacker or a predator | | | | hardware is the obvious answer.iPrism internet filters |
| with hacking skills is able to breach the unsecured | | | | and web filters provide internet monitoring and network |
| network of a college, it leaves more than just | | | | security. |