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