A Scientific Article by Assistant Lecturer Fatima Haider Jassim: Protecting E-Learning Platforms from Cyberattacks: Challenges and Solutions

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In recent years, the world has witnessed a radical shift toward e-learning, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which imposed reliance on digital platforms as the primary means of teaching and learning. Despite the vast opportunities these platforms offer for communication, knowledge exchange, and remote education, they have become prime targets for cyberattacks and security breaches. This is mainly due to the sensitive data they contain about students, faculty members, and academic as well as administrative information. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop advanced strategies to protect these platforms and ensure the continuity of the educational process. Security Challenges in E-Learning Platforms Cyberattacks: These include attempts to disrupt services (DDoS attacks) or steal accounts through phishing. Weak Passwords: Many users rely on simple passwords that are easily hacked, leading to unauthorized access. Software Vulnerabilities: Learning Management Systems (LMS) may contain exploitable flaws that allow attackers to breach the platform or manipulate data. Lack of Encryption: Transmitting data without encryption exposes it to interception and espionage. Social Engineering: Cybercriminals exploit the lack of cybersecurity awareness among students and instructors to steal login credentials. Proposed Protection Strategies Implement Advanced Encryption: To protect data during transmission and storage. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Ensures that account access requires additional verification steps. Regular System Updates: To patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. User Security Awareness: Conduct training workshops and courses on recognizing and handling phishing and intrusion attempts. Activity Monitoring and Log Analysis: Use Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and security analytics tools to detect suspicious behavior. Regular Data Backups: To safeguard information and enable recovery in case of ransomware attacks or data loss.